I am an Arsenal fan who has stuck up for our Germany international many times since he signed for the Gunners from La Liga giants Real Madrid over four years ago. That Mesut Ozil transfer on deadline day of the 2013 summer window not only smashed the club’s transfer record, it gave a big lift to everyone connected with the Gunners.
I do not go in for the bandwagon theory of the German play maker being lazy or going missing in big games, and despite his poor return of goals I do think he has been a good player for us. Ozil arriving was never about goals anyway, or not about him scoring them anyway, although his goals per game ratio for us is actually better than it was for Madrid.
His class was clear from the start and he has bagged plenty of assists in Arsenal colours and would surely have broken the Premier League record for them set by our own Thierry Henry if the finishing of the Arsenal forwards had not been so wayward towards the end of the 2015-16 season.
Having said all that, I am not as bothered about his decision to reject a new Arsenal contract as I am about his team mate Alexis Sanchez doing the same, because Ozil does not have that same dynamic impact and that is what Arsenal need more of.
We have lots of talented and technically superb players but we do not have many players driven like the Chilean is. So to be honest, I will not be too unhappy to see Ozil transfer away from Arsenal, as long as it is not to sign for Manchester United, that is.
He is the sort of player that they need and I reckon he would thrive there under Mourinho, so should Arsene Wenger sell Ozil in January but make sure he signs for someone other than United?
Bob.