Arsenal should have cashed in on Mesut Ozil in the current transfer window as he “isn’t the future”, claims Kevin Campbell, with Matteo Guendouzi and Hector Bellerin also considered to be disposable.
The Gunners are in the process of tinkering with their recruitment plans for the current window, with funds needing to be freed up from somewhere.
Mikel Arteta has been able to bolster his ranks, with Willian and Gabriel Magalhaes brought on board, but funds are in short supply.
That means sales may have to be sanctioned, with there several options that the north London outfit could consider.
Campbell feels Ozil should have been among the first that Arsenal edged towards the exits, with the World Cup winner no longer a key man and little more than an expensive luxury given his lucrative contract and recent lack of game time.
“Mesut Ozil has been a good player for Arsenal over the years but I would have liked him to leave this summer,” former Gunners striker Campbell told Gentingbet.
“I have nothing against him, he is a top player but he isn’t the future of Arsenal.
“Him leaving would free up massive funds which will be like a new kitty for Mikel Arteta to use. He is paid a hefty sum of money which he deserves as it is part of his contract but the opportunity to get that money off your wage bill is very attractive.
“With the money, Arsenal will be able to attract other players. So, no disrespect to Ozil as a player, I just feel Arsenal need to be looking to the future, which Ozil isn’t with only 12 months left on his contract.”
Ozil was frozen out by Arteta towards the end of the 2019-20 campaign along with French midfielder Guendouzi, with the 21-year-old seeing serious questions asked of his attitude.
“The time might be right for Arsenal to cash in on Matteo Guendouzi,” said Campbell.
“I know there was a fall-out between Guendouzi and Arteta, and Guendouzi was reprimanded, and rightly so. As a young manager you need to do as your manager says. Having an opinion is good but you still have to toe the line like everyone else.
“Truth is, though, I don’t see where Guendouzi comes in to the side. You’ve got [Granit] Xhaka, who has been in excellent form, [Dani] Ceballos has come back and Arsenal are looking at recruiting [Thomas] Partey and [Houssem] Aouar. He wouldn’t play amongst those.”
Campbell also feels that Spanish full-back Bellerin should be offloaded if the right offer presents itself, with a former member of the famed La Masia academy in Barcelona seeing a return to his roots mooted.
“Arsenal will need to box clever in the transfer market and could sell Bellerin to free up funds,” added Campbell.
“Arsenal now have Cedric, a Portuguese international who knows the Premier League well and is a very good full-back. They’ve also got [Ainsley] Maitland-Niles who is also very good on both flanks.
“So, Bellerin is the type of player that it wouldn't be the end of the world to cash in on because I don’t think it necessarily weakens Arsenal. But the money has to be right.”