Paul Merson has urged Eddie Nketiah to remain at Arsenal for another two or three seasons.
The striker has been out of the first-team picture at the Emirates and has rejected the offer of a new deal.
With the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli ahead of him in the pecking order, he feels he would struggle to play regularly for the club.
However, Mikel Arteta wants him to stay and fight for his place on the team.
He scored a hat-trick against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup yesterday to remind fans what he is capable of.
Merson believes he still has time and should spend some more seasons at Arsenal before he leaves the club.
‘My advice would be, I’d say stick here. Stick here for two, three more years. He’s a kid, he’s got plenty of years left,’ the former Arsenal man said on Sky Sports as quoted by The Daily Mail.
‘I know he wants to play football now, of course he does.
‘There’s not a lot of 20-year-old kids leading the line in the Premier League at the moment. This kid is a good player.
‘He should have faith in his ability that he will get a start for Arsenal. Just stick around.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
Nketiah has shown in matches for the England Under21 that he is a superstar in the making and he is proving that in the Carabao Cup this season.
Every player wants to be a regular in the Premier League and that might be one reason he wants out of Arsenal.
However, the club has to keep trying to convince him to stay because he can benefit from remaining at the Emirates.
With Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang possibly leaving the club, he should get chances to play.