Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has criticised the Gunners over the uncertainty surrounding club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's future.
The Gabon international is out of contract at the Emirates next summer and is yet to agree fresh terms, although manager Mikel Arteta is confident that Aubameyang will stay on in North London.
Nevertheless, Campbell, who scored 46 goals in 228 appearances for Arsenal, has expressed his belief that the Gunners have handled the situation poorly and should tie Aubameyang down to a new deal as a matter of urgency.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Campbell said: "I think Arsenal have shot themselves in the foot yet again.
"They've played a game and they've taken a risk hoping that they'll qualify for the Champions League so that would obviously push him to be signing, but it isn't quite working out this season.
"It's a very, very dangerous game that they're playing. The backroom people and the hierarchy said they would never put themselves in this position again, but what have they done? They've put themselves in this situation again!
"The club has been run so poorly on the transfer retention side, they keep putting themselves in this very difficult situation and it's not right, fans are going to go crazy about it.
"I think Aubameyang is right to put the ball firmly in their court and it's now up to Arsenal to make some moves and prove to him that they're serious.
"As an Arsenal fan I want him to stay, of course I do, but if I'm Aubameyang, I've been at Arsenal all this time and they have been messing around!
"What Arsenal have been doing, skimping and scraping, is not going to turn his head to stay. If Mikel Arteta wants to keep him they have to break the bank to keep him, they have to."
Arsenal will get their Premier League campaign back underway on Wednesday evening when they face off against current champions Manchester City at the Etihad.
Ben Knapton
