According to a recent report by ESPN, Premier League giants Arsenal are said to be willing to leave the door open for German ace Mesut Ozil to leave the Emirates this summer, having still not offered the former Real Madrid man a contract extension.
The midfielder’s current Arsenal tenure runs until the end of next season, at which point he could walk away on a free transfer. Ozil joined the Gunners from Madrid back in the summer of 2013, when he arrived for what was then a club-record fee of £42.4m.
The report suggests that the North London club informed the German that he could depart the side last summer, owing to his fragile relationship with former manager Unai Emery. Although he did improve quite a bit under new manager Mikel Arteta, it has been claimed that the Gunners hierarchy are yet to change their stance on the player. This then means that Ozil could potentially be sold in the summer, or that he could walk away at the end of his current contracted tenure. Let’s be honest; £ 350,000/week is a lot of money.
What Are Mesut Ozil’s Main Attributes?
The former German international midfielder was once classed as one of the most talented creative midfielders in the world, and his drop off from that sensational level has been alarming. The 31-year-old is undoubtedly still one of the best passers of the ball in the entire league, while his vision from a distance is something worth admiring as well. He offers excellent composure on the ball and makes dangerous runs into space.
The playmaker likes to drop deep and collect the ball from the defenders. Although he seriously lacks pace, Ozil’s technical ability and sheer finesse make him a difficult player to defend against. Despite not having the quickest feet either, the German is more than capable of beating the odd defender as well. The former Real Madrid man tends to be a sharp finisher of the ball once he enters the box, but it must be conceded that Ozil shines brightest during build-up play.
Why Arsenal Must Finally Sell Ozil This Summer?
Ozil was once considered to be the main creative source of this Arsenal squad, despite all the other midfield additions that they’ve made over the years. The expectation levels have always been high, and in recent years, his performance levels have severely dropped. The German just seems to get slower after every game, while he just doesn’t seem to possess that eye for a killer pass in his arsenal anymore.
Although Ozil started all ten of the league fixtures under Arteta, it’s worth stating that his actual influence within the side was minimal, barring a couple of isolated instances. Boasting a frustrating lack of pace, low work-rate and poor defensive positioning, it wouldn’t be overly far-fetched for the Gunners staff to think about ending the German’s long Arsenal career. There have been some good years and some bad, but one thing that can be said for sure is that at 31-years-old, it’s certainly not getting any better from here for Mesut Ozil.
