Ian Wright said Arsenal need to find the next Mauricio Pochettino when it comes time to replace Arsene Wenger as manager.
Wenger's future is again under scrutiny following Arsenal's 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, with possible replacements already being touted even though Wenger still has a year remaining on his contract.
Carlo Ancelotti and Thierry Henry have been linked to the job, but Wright said the club should find something in between -- a young but experienced coach who can bring fresh ideas to the club.
He pointed to Pochettino's work at Arsenal's archrivals Tottenham Hotspur as the blueprint.
"I'm not sure they should be going for the older guy, like they're talking about Ancelotti, who is a magnificent manager. They need to find that next one," Wright said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I'm not saying you're going to find a Pep [Guardiola], but someone like Mauricio Pochettino, the way he came and he built his way up. ... Somebody like that, who is good and can come in and build and have a philosophy and young ideas and be enthused with drive. Someone who can bring in a player that will really see his philosophy through, like we are seeing at Manchester City."
Wright said he is among those who "couldn't make a case" for Wenger to stay beyond this season, but he added that he would not want to see Henry get thrown into Wenger's position before he is ready as he is worried that his status as a club legend could take a hit.
"Thierry is the king at that place, but for him to come from being assistant at Belgium and take over at Arsenal in this current climate with the changes that's got to happen -- and if it doesn't happen quickly, then we are talking about a legend who will suddenly have the world of Arsenal, when it is not going right, on his shoulders," Wright said.
"He has not managed yet so we do not know what he is capable of. This needs a lot of thought and working out. I am not sure we can go through too many more years of what is going on."