Mikel Arteta opened up about Arsenal’s axed player after his omission from the squad for a majority of games this year.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta thinks that the stranded man Mesut Ozil received a fair amount of chances before his omission from the squad. Earlier this month, the Gunners released their 25-man team list. And to everyone’s surprise, Ozil’s name did not feature in the squad. This was also after the Germany international’s exclusion from the Europa League.
One would now say that the 32-year-old appears to have played his last game for Arteta’s side. Furthermore, Ozil is in his final year of the contract and will potentially leave the club soon.
The German did not play a majority of this year’s fixtures for Arsenal after the start of the COVID19 lockdown in March. However, before the pandemic situation, Ozil managed to play 10 consecutive matches with the Gunners. Nevertheless, Arteta is sure that he has done his part to give Ozil opportunities to play.
“What I can tell you that I tried my best. I tried to give him as many opportunities as I could,” Arteta told Sky Sports.
“And that from my own side, I’ve been patient, given him opportunities and been fair.
“He’s a player that belongs to a football club, he’s been a really important player in the last few seasons. I have to respect that, I’m here to make decisions, the best decisions for the team and for the club.
“This is what I try to do. And then I have to explain to them because people need the reasons and the right answers. I just give mine, whether they believe me or agree with me or not, there’s nothing I can do.
“But I have to put my decisions. With my heart and with my brain to make the right decisions that I believe are good.”
A loyal team member.
Ozil expressed his feelings towards Arteta and Arsenal previously on his social media. He believes that his contribution to the club displays his loyalty towards it.
“This is a difficult message to write to the Arsenal fans that I’ve played for over the past few years. I’m really deeply disappointed by the fact that I have not been registered for the Premier League season for the time being,” Ozil said on Twitter and Instagram.
“Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal. And it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated. As I have just found out, loyalty is hard to come by nowadays.”
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