According to Calcio Mercato, as cited by the Express, Arsenal manager Unai Emery is keen to offload Mesut Ozil. It is believed that the German playmaker is not included in the club’s plans and will be made available for a transfer. He has already attracted the interest of several clubs from Turkey, China and America (via the Express).
In this article, we will discuss why it could be the right decision from the Arsenal board.
Ozil does not fit Emery’s plans
Although a bit obvious, Ozil has clearly struggled to integrate to Emery’s tactical setup at Arsenal. He showed some promise during the backend of last season, notably becoming a first-team regular for the Gunners.
However, his lack of energy and enthusiasm does not fit well with Emery’s build-up play that revolves around energetic players like Dani Ceballos, Matteo Guendouzi and Nicolas Pepe. Ceballos, in particular, has looked very lively and in all honesty, is an upgrade over his German counterpart.
As for Ozil, himself, he looked jaded and ineffective, especially in the recent win over Nottingham Forest in midweek. Ceballos replaced him in the second half, and after that, Arsenal strolled through to a comfortable 4-0 victory.
Let the young take over
Ozil is nearing the final phase of his career and is set to turn 31 in the middle of next month. That means he cannot be considered as a reliable long-term option for the Gunners. Not to mention, the playmaker’s overall performance will gradually fade as he grows older.
In contrast, Arsenal have a lot of exciting academy stars coming through, and they would surely deserve a chance to impress for Emery’s senior team. Joe Willock, in particular, has caught the eye almost every time this season and Ozil’s departure, in that regard, could help the youngster gain a more prominent role in the Gunners first-team.
Not just Willock, Arsenal also have Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Martinelli. They will all greatly benefit from the sale of Ozil.
Financial boost
Perhaps the most important factor behind the sale of the veteran midfielder is that Arsenal could receive a huge financial boost if they choose to do so. It’s probably needless to mention the fact that the ex-Real Madrid is currently the highest earner at the club, bagging a whopping £350k every week.
That means Ozil’s departure could help Arsenal recover the balance of their wage structure, ultimately allowing them to invest more on players in the future. Emery’s need for a new defender has already been well documented, so the club should focus on offloading the German attacker as soon as possible.
