Looking at how dismally the season is going, there have been a lot of doubts cast on whether Arsenal can even achieve the bare minimum of finishing in the top four this season. However, another significant point of concern are the futures of the Gunners’ two star players, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, who are both out of contract next summer. While it looks certain that the former will pack his bags at the end of the season, the latter seems to be still weighing up his options.
As quoted by the Daily Mail, Mesut Ozil said: “It makes me happy that the fans support me, that my team-mates and the club support me. But football is my priority, we have aims with the team to reach the Champions League. In the summer there’s enough time to talk about other things.
“I’m very happy. I have a connection with the club. I love London, it’s great to live here but I can’t say today what will happen in the future. In the summer we’ll definitely talk.”
Now although it may be a little optimistic to think that the German will not sign a new contract considering how the team is doing, I believe there is still a great chance he will stay. Firstly, as all his social media followers will know, the former Real Madrid fan simply loves living in London and will not be keen to leave
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Second, his style of play fits the Arsenal system perfectly. No other big club in Europe will allow him the creative freedom that he enjoys being the Gunners’ No 10. But on top of everything else, it’s the amount of trust that the Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has in his star man, and Ozil himself conceded that his future has a lot to do with whether Wenger will stay or not.
“It’s not just important for me but for the whole club,” he says. “It’s important to know if he stays or if he goes. We need to think towards next season. He’s very important. In my career I’ve always made decisions not just because of clubs but managers, too. As a footballer, it’s important to have the manager’s trust and believe they can develop you.”
So with that being said, a top-four finish (as unlikely as it seems) and Wenger renewing his contract and spending big over the summer should be enough to see German playmaker stay at the Emirates. Despite many of the club’s fans calling for Wenger’s head, it is important to note that with the departure of the Frenchman, we are likely to see the departures of many star players like Ozil, Bellerin, Koscielny and the list goes on.
Now while that may not be a strong enough reason for the Gunners’ boss to stay, would Arsenal fans trust the board to bring in a quality replacement and give him the financial firepower to build a squad capable of challenging for the title?
Anurag