John Hartson has urged Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to sign the really “big names” which would “appease” the disgruntled fans.
The Frenchman, who has been at the club since 1996, finished the Premier League season outside of the top four for the first time during his tenure.
Added to that, his side were knocked out of this season’s Champions League after suffering a humiliating 10-2 aggregate defeat at the hands of German giants Bayern Munich.
This has seen protests against the 67-year-old grow throughout the campaign, with many fans calling for him to leave the club when his contract expires in the summer.
Former Celtic striker Hartson thinks that if players such as Everton ace Romelu Lukaku became available then the Arsenal faithful would want their team signing players of his calibre.
“What would appease the supporters is if he brought in some really big names,” Hartson told the Monday Night Club on BBC Radio Five Live. “He makes a statement then by saying, ‘well we have got a strong enough squad’.
“Say, for instance, Lukaku becomes available at Everton, £60millliom, whatever it is, Van Dijk, £50million. Arsene, the fans are saying, please be in for these players. Don’t be a £5million less, be in for these players so the Arsenal fans can feel that Arsene has built up a strong enough squad to have a real challenge.”
"Arsene, the fans are saying please be in for these players"@JohnHartson10 says Arsenal must aim big in the transfer market. pic.twitter.com/9kiPguCrw8
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) May 29, 2017
Belgium international Lukaku is one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League, with his pace and power in the final third hurting many opposition players.
He finished off the 2016/17 season by scoring 25 league goals, only Tottenham forward Harry Kane struck more than the former Chelsea man.
Lukaku, who has two-years left on his Goodison Park contract, revealed in March that he will not be putting pen-to-paper on a new deal.
Wenger’s side, who won the FA Cup last Saturday against Chelsea, would have to do a lot to convince a player of his stature to move to the Emirates Stadium given the club’s failure to enter into next season’s Champions League.