In a recent interview with Metro, Kevin Campbell has urged Arsenal to replace Mesut Ozil with either Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish or Leicester City star James Maddison.
Ozil has been with the north London giants for nearly seven years and during this period, he has been the regular choice for the club in the number 10 position.
However, his performances over the past 18 months have been far from convincing and Campbell believes the time has come to pursue a replacement for the World Cup-winning playmaker.
Speaking to Metro, Campbell stressed that the Gunners are lacking the presence of an attacking midfielder, who can excel with the all-round game which includes the defensive work.
He added that his former club should seek to sign either Grealish or Maddison for the role.
“Arsenal need an all-rounder in midfield, Arsenal need someone in the middle of the pitch who not only can create, he can break the play up, but he’s got legs, we miss that. We’ve been a strong spine for years,” He told.
“There was talk of should we go for Jack Grealish or James Maddison, these type of guys would improve Arsenal. No disrespect to Mesut Ozil, but Ozil is on the wrong side of his Arsenal career with a year left on his contract after this.”
Grealish has proved his credentials since the Villains’ return to the Premier League this term and he has registered seven goals and six assists from 26 appearances. He has predominantly played on the left wing but has recently suggested that he would prefer to play in a central role.
Maddison, on the other hand, has bagged six goals and three assists from 26 league outings. Unlike Grealish, he has been deployed in the central midfield or attacking midfield position and has caught the eye with his range of passing.
Compared to the duo, Ozil has had a struggle this season with just one goal and two assists from 18 top-flight games. His performances have improved under Mikel Arteta but the Gunners don’t seem interested in extending his £350,000-a-week deal beyond June 2021.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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