FORMER ARSENAL CAPTAIN Martin Keown believes the club should sell star players Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, as he believes the pair have become “overindulged”.
Alexis has emerged as a top target for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who are believed to have held talks with the Chile international’s representatives in London this week.
Bayern Munich are also said to be interested in the 28-year-old, who scored 30 goals for the Gunners across all competitions last season.
Ozil has also long been linked with a move away from north London, with the German citing manager Arsene Wenger’s future at the club as a significant factor in contract negotiations.
Wenger has since signed a new, two-year extension at the club, though Ozil’s situation seems no closer to a conclusion.
Both Alexis and Ozil have one year remaining on their current deals, with supporters calling on the club to tie them down with lucrative new contracts.
But Keown, a winner of three Premier Leagues and three FA Cups under Gunners manager Wenger, says the Frenchman must make the difficult decision to sell his stars as their heads have already been turned by clubs elsewhere.
If they have to say cheerio to those two players, then that is the right decision,” Keown told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“They have been overindulged at times this season and they let Arsenal down in the period when they lost twice to Bayern Munich, conceding 10 goals. That is the level of the problem.
The manager needs to make some really tough decisions now. Sanchez’s contract needs to get 100% secured. Is that going to happen? Will Ozil leave?
“I am sure both players want to go elsewhere because they want to win the Champions League, win the Premier League and maybe they do not feel it can be done at Arsenal. The club is bigger than two individuals.”
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