Arsenal title winner Paul Merson has praised manager Mikel Arteta for his squad clearout.
Merson can see history repeating itself at the club he helped to five major trophies in a 12-year Gunners career.
With Arsenal now back on top of the Prem after a perfect start to the season, Merson told The Sun: “I was very impressed with the way Arteta handled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
“He took a massive chance with a player who was a huge influence in the dressing room and it's worked. You have to make a statement when you're a new manager.
"George Graham did it many years ago when he came to Arsenal and got rid of Charlie Nicholas, Tony Woodcock, Graham Rix, Viv Anderson and Steve Williams.
“Top internationals, the lot of them, but they weren't going to listen to some bloke who'd just arrived from Millwall and wanted to rule with a rod of iron.
“So George went 'out you all go and I'll build my team around hungry young kids who will run around and listen to what I have to say'.
“We wouldn't have won the league without George, but he wouldn't have won it without guys like myself, Michael Thomas, David Rocastle, Tony Adams and Paul Davis.
“And fair play to Arteta, that's exactly what he's doing now.
“For as good as Aubameyang was, the young players were going to start listening to him and Arteta didn't want that.
“Because as soon as you have one player who doubts you, your job becomes so much harder."