Mesut Ozil has definitely turned into Mr Marmite amongst Arsenal fans since he won a massive pay rise to re-sign for the Gunners last year. His wages, his lessening ability to break assist records any more, his ever-increasing injury record, and his laissez-faire body language, have all contributed to a divide in fan’s opinion about his worth to the club.
So much so, that there are now some factions that have called for him to be sold as soon as possible, to free up wages for some younger hungrier players to come in, but now the German’s agent, Dr. Erkut Sogut, has decided to speak out to clear up any doubts about Ozil’s future at the Emirates.
“I would prefer not to speak publicly about Mesut’s situation, but given the recent speculation linking him with a move away from Arsenal, I do feel it is important to provide some clarity so we can end this and focus on football,” he told Goal.
“Mesut signed a new contract last January because he saw his future at Arsenal and nothing has changed in his mind. He wants to stay for the duration of that contract and maybe even longer.
“Mesut is 100 per cent committed to Arsenal Football Club. He loves the club, shares its values and does not want to be anywhere else.
“He is proud to wear the shirt and honoured to represent Arsenal on and off the pitch. He takes his responsibilities – including being selected as one of the captains this season – very seriously and has a great relationship with his team-mates, the staff and fans.”
But Dr. Sugut also agreed that his client had endured some problems this season. “In the last year, there has been enormous upheaval for everybody at the club and the first half of this season has not been perfect for Mesut.
“He has suffered from injuries and illness, and is working hard to adapt to the different system employed by head coach Unai Emery.” he continued. “This may take time, but Mesut will give everything he has to help make it work and bring success to Arsenal.”
“People might say I only have Mesut’s best interests at heart, but this is not true. I also represented Arsenal in his contract renewal and in other deals, too.
“This information is publicly available and I am acutely aware of my professional duty on this front. I do want the best for my client, of course, but I want the best for Arsenal as well.
“Mesut has faced criticism and obstacles throughout his career, but he has always responded and behaved in a positive and dignified manner.
“He does not feel the need to speak personally because he is focusing all of his efforts on getting fully fit, improving his form and consistency, and letting his football do the talking.”
“Mesut joined Arsenal in 2013 and has therefore been a part of the club for longer than most of the current playing squad and even many members of staff. Over those five-and-a-half years, he has shown total commitment and professionalism.
“He has not spent long periods injured and maintained a high level of performance, as the statistics show. Despite what some may say, he understands the fabric and expectations of the club better than most.
“Unless you are on the inside and privy to what happens on a daily basis, it is best not to speculate. In every journey there are highs and lows, but it is important to consider the bigger picture rather than simply making knee-jerk judgements without proper context.
“The speculation around Mesut’s future has not come from him or us and is unfortunate because the situation is clear: his future is with Arsenal, end of story.”
Well, it was a long-winded but full explanation of Ozil’s situation, but the final line makes it abundantly clear that Ozil is definitely not going to leave or be sold, and is going to stay and fight for his place in Emery’s team.
So can we stop any speculation to the contrary for now, please?
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OT just saw this article…So prior to last night Iwobi was joint top with Anderson for most successful nutmegs!!!!
Mesut is here to stay, thank christ for that!! ?
I hope Iwobi doesn’t end up nutmegging Unai Emery someday, because that’s what he’s perfect at???
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My darling Sue! Iwobi eventually!!!! Phew ?. You got to love a hard working player. I told you the boy has got some talent and he only needed the right coaching. From iwobi to you Sue ?❤️??
? I thought you’d like that article Pat!! ??
Mesut is here to stay. Emery should get the memo and find a way to make it work between all of them. I wish us good luck in the New Years (hopefully a good defence)
i see this statement by the agent as worrying, i love ozil and a big fan of him but if he isn’t adapting by the end of the season, selling him is the only move in my eyes!
we just can’t have our highest paid player on the bench we are not city, Utd, chelsea, we are Arsenal are best paid player performs week in week out, don’t ask me, ask the Bergkamp, Viera, fabregas, henry, van persie’s that when paid the big bucks performed. well Big bucks at the time 😉
talk about the times we needed captains those where Captains let’s be honest with each other for once even that Mug van persie!! so the agent saying he’s one of the captains does him no good as we know it’s more for him than us we are not a dumb fanbase!! we or more like emery gave him the C in games so he could act like one and work harder for the team, which by the way he did , especially the first time he was given it he was really puttin in a shift and it was an obvious shift you could see the sweet drip when slowed down, tracking back 40 meters to defend i loved that, but the problem is he forgets that the next game!!
as a person that likes him and a person that admires his talent, he is a WC no 10 whether people love him or hate him, But if he is not playing/adapting he should be gone by the end of the season, a year is ample time for a professional to get with the program!!
yes the agent says he has fans you do ozil, he loves Arsenal and we love you ozil, that’s why they have been patient and supporting but that’s untill the end of the season for me, i hope that he adapts that’s one year of loyalty form the fans on 350 K a week , just for you to find your feet under this new manager, i beleive that to be fair!! if he doesn’t adapt by next year that’s him in his 30’s just bleeding the wage bill dry, do we agree on that Gooners?
so if he doesn’t he should be sold, we are Arsenal we can’t have that!! Victoria Concordia Crescit is our motto, so it makes no sense to have a 350 k on the bench come next season, why you ask? because every player would be entitled to similar wages based on that don’t beleive me ask ramsey…we are not talking t-shirt sales or how good of a person you are, we are talking performances on the pitch i.e: Stats not only passing percentage but the other ones too!!!….. its adapt or get the shaft i’m sorry but we have to be abit ruthless for the good of the club, we have been the nicest people in the world with the way we treat our players, Diaby anyone? so in these tough times after 22 years of the same system we need to be abit ruthless for the benefit of the team in the long run! if Ozil need to be the victim for us to be more complete as a team than so be it, Tick Tock!!
We haven’t improved much with or without him. Emery says he need him to do defensive work yet I haven’t seen any of his defenders do quality defensive work not to talk of his milders. At least with Ozil we are more dangerous and can create lot of goal scoring chances. I noticed Xhaka has been taking corner and he hasn’t been as effective as Ozil, Guendouzi doesn’t create enough chances. The only player doing well is iwobi. So i don’t see the reason why Ozil is suddenly our worst player. Emery should get on with all the players.
the first sentence says it all pat we haven’t improved much with or without him, to me that’s not the reason why you/he got a 350 k a week contract, we have to be better with him on the pitch week in week out that simple.
if not and we made a mistake or he isn’t suited to the system than we have to cut our losses that’s what i mean by ruthless, don’t get me wrong he could adapt and i hope he does players like pirlo, giggs, and our very own cazorla did!! cazorla played where he plays but when he lost abit of his pace and got moved/or more like we needed him in the middle he was even better, and that’s up to him as in up to the player!!
my problem is that salary could cover 3 squad players and a youngster based on our last wage structure, i love ozil but i love the team more than i do him, and thinking ahead as i don’t want discontent among players who played more and gave more on the pitch asking questions about how much they should be worth come end of season, do you see where i’m coming from? i’m not hating on ozil more worried about our future with him in it if it continues this way, that’s my thoughts on it pat
He signed a contract and that was established before Emery came. So not using him (knowing that he is better than what we have now) is the reason why I am angry with Emery. He said he came to improve us not sideline one player for no obvious reason. Compare to our current creative milders he is the best. Until something changes I will continue to make my case for him. If Emery can give us a good defence, and top 4 without him, Emery will be my man, but if not then he hasn’t improved us. Simples
the player has to adapt to the manager and not the other way around, i’m not for player power at our great club like at Chelsea or Utd, it’s a slippery slop that they might afford but we can’t with our finances and owner …what i am saying or trying to get at maybe using old examples/older generation players is that if players like KDB, Aguero, and Silva, especially Aguero (a complete different type of forward in less than a year)!! are able to adapt to a manager than ozil has to as well, Simples. that’s what Pro’s do, and get paid to do!
it should never be the other way around, i’m not saying that emery is pep i’m saying the manager’s philsophy before the player’s at least, do you see where i’m getting at with the comparison, and i’m with you on this Pat it has to be sorted out, he needs to be integrated or let go and it needs to be sorted quickly 🙂
Mesut Ozil must stay
Jon’s already staked some money on him leaving… I find it hard too because unless Ozil is willing to take a pay cut, the chances of him leaving are few. I hope Emery starts looking for ways to use him best
What I sense is that he loves Arsenal and wants to stay and fight for his place. Emery should find a way to play him in his favored position.
Talking about willing to take a pay cut, he is not willing to take a pay rise either, and move out of his beloved Arsenal
no it doesn’t work that way, you try to maximize your team’s effectivness as a whole not just an individual’s…. so basically you might have Ferrari but if you lived in the Desert i would recommed against driving it, a 4×4 would be more suited for your needs 🙂
ohhh and just to make things clearer, Ferrari=ozil, Desert=high press …now that you have the variables solve for x
Lol your replies are so witty and detached from any bias or emotion I love them. I don’t think I’ve read a better explanation for ozil’s situation at arsenal than the ones you’ve given for this article. Kudos
it always warms my heart to reasonate with a fellow gooner, thanks mate much appreciated 🙂
UAE was built on desert. Now they arguably ride more Ferrari and Lamborghini than any other.
Does that make sense?
it’s also the city with the most left unattended sport cars did you know that? and does that make sense?
due to the fact the owner had to leave in a hurry!! and they never ever ever saw that car again!! what’s the moral of the story now?
money laundering sometimes takes you to the cleaners 😉
It is not about what MESUT OZIL enjoys but about what we fans who , indirectly, pay his vast wages actually want. And more to the point, DESERVE! Who would not enjoy London life, as a multi millionaire with his football achievements now in the past and having turned 30 with a huge weekly wage and no way of being forced to work harder than his rather lazy body and distinctly frail and often conveniently injured lazier self wish to. A strong opinion which some will anger SOME but about which others will largely agree. So as the article asks, can we now stop talking about Ozil leaving Arsenal? Well, actually NO we cannot and nor should we. At least not until he deigns to actually start earning the obscenely unwarranted wage his crafty agent conned out of the naive old regime less than a year ago. And which the newer but now hands tied regime is having to sort out as best they can. Thanks Gazidis and thanks Wenger! Thanks for NOTHING! If you do not like my opinion or don’t agree with it, why not ask yourself whether or not you believe all are entitled to their opinions and to state them honestly , as I have done.
“It is not about what MESUT OZIL enjoys but about what we fans who , indirectly, pay his vast wages actually want”
Lol Ozil is staying regardless of what we fans think…Jon I believe you of all people know the club doesn’t care about us fans or what we want since Kroenke got it..why would it change now because of Ozil?… I for one like I said, I’m not gonna get over excited about this team anymore until I see real changes, I think you should do that too
My question is: how does Mezut Ozil fight for his place, if he is not getting opportunities to play?
He had better start working very hard at training to try and impress Emery that he deserves to start.
Eddie, You think as you wish, with by blessing. YOUR COMMNTS WILL NOT CHANGE MY OPINION ONE IOTA! I never said or thought the club would change with Kroenke in charge. I merely said I am convinced Ozil well be gone by next season. Two separate issues, though related in a tenuous way, as KREONKE DOES NOT LIKE WASTING HIS OWN MONEY ON OZILS HUGE AND NON PRODUCTIVE WAGES, ANYMORE THAN I DO ON THIS FRAUD PLAYER.
Mr. You really take it personal. Football is an entertainment. Develop other interest besides the Arsenal and Ozil. You’re becoming afanatic.it is not good. Arsenal owners are investors.period. if you’re not interested to buy thier services, well look elsewhere….. remember the demand and suppy economics. Cool it off man. Arsenal has got it’s owners.
Read Juventus is so interested in Ramsey, they are willing to snap him up THIS MONTH. Also read they would be willing to send Khedira in exchange.
Beggars that lot. Sending us a crappy player in exchange so they don’t have to pay few extra millions.
Send Medhi Benatia or Daniele Rugani in our way please!
Crap for crap, what’s the difference?
Clearly, we accept the situation we are in. I am not sure anyone can doubt that we are overpaying Ozil if you look at what he has brought this season.
More worryingly, in my opinion, Emery’s high pressing game falls apart if the men upfront don’t apply it consistently. I don’t see Ozil as ever getting on board to diligently press when we lose the ball. The problem with the pressing game is that as soon as one forward doesn’t apply it it breaks down. It gives defenders an outlet man who can then pick our defense apart as we saw against Brighton. Sure there were opportunities for Ozil’s teammates to correct his error and Lichtsteiner failed miserably in that and should shoulder part of the blame but if Ozil had done his job the defender would not have had any time to pick a pass.
Is it worth it to drop the pressing principal just because Ozil doesn’t fancy it? If you are not terribly talented as a squad (relative to the teams above us), outworking them and pressing them into errors is a smart tactic in my view.
So unless Ozil changes the mentality and is willing to work hard for 90 minutes, either the pressing game has to go or he has to be benched.
Maybe he is willing to do it for 20 minutes and can become a super sub? (Sadly at his wage an expensive super sub but never the less it might be optimizing his yield for the team.)
Do we need to press higher up the pitch? Amanger should be able to come up with asystem which complents the skills available. Opimize the resources available. Unai should innovate. Period. Otherwise idont see him lasting for long. Big players always win. Why, they sale shirts and create Abra d not necessary in England but across the globe.
yes high press is the latest innovation as you play your own game whilst giving little time to the opposition to dictate it’s way of playing….liverpool and city have mastered it two different approaches to the high press, poch is really good at it as well but unlike firmino and gabriel jesus, Kane won’t drop as deep in the middle to link up play as he doesnt need to he can hold the ball whilst waiting for the runs…we are getting there, but those three are ahead of us at the moment as they’ve been doing it longer !!
We don’t press at all anymore as much as we did at the start of the season. We press half heartily one case i remember against the liverpool game where Aubameyang pressed the back line and wasnt followed by Ramsey and co. I still see our style of play similar to last season tbh possession based team but the difference being with a higher work rate. Which has been shown in our stats that we are running more. We need to get wingers in tbh and i believe thats why Emery changed to the back 3 to get the width from our fulllbacks for our lack of width. Regarding the Ozil issue i hope he stays and fights for his place because he is still one of our place players and we look more of a fluid team with him in it in regards to our possession we keep the ball a lot better. Hes a generational number 10 and there will be know one else like him so i hope when he comes back from injury hes back in the team as we have some tough games coming up. Regarding his contract and the money he is on yes it is an issue but i blame the last regime for giving him that contract as it was very much as panick with sanchez leaving and wilshire also being on the last year of his contract.
“People might say I only have Mesut’s best interests at heart, but this is not true. I also represented Arsenal in his contract renewal and in other deals, too.”
How can an agent represent the club and player in a negotiation? That’s crazy!
I loved Ozil, but we have to move forward, if he truly loves the club and fans he would move on and let us move on.
So our high pressing game doesn’t suit Ozil?
Tell me who it does suit?
When you see opponents carve us up with just one through ball, what the heck are we doing?
With Ramsey, another of the dross weedy players people love to put down, seemingly going to a bigger club (currently at least) , there is no way Emery can not play Ozil in his team.
We have a thoroughbred waiting to supply Aba and Lacs, so why ask him to do the work of a donkey?
UE will get it right and Ozil will see out his contract then, hopefully, sign another one under the watchful eye of whoever gave Li chsteiner the reported £90,000 a week.
Oh well let’s hope Unai weeds out this fraud player from the team.
A lot of very strong opinions when it comes to Ozil. Absolutely wonderful player for a top team in a less intense league, some would say the ultimate luxury player. Unfortunately this Arsenal team just cannot carry him – maybe he’d have fit in with the Invincible team and have been that magical player we needed to win honours in Europe (back then).
I remember the first time I saw him playing for Germany (back when he was at Schalke I think) and thinking to myself – I wish we could sign a player like him!
With the fans on his back, his high wages and low output – as an Arsenal fan first and foremost, i hope he is sold asap (like tonight) and the money used to bring in someone (or more than one player) with greater desire, fight and output – players who WILL get us back into the top 4, performing consistently and taking responsibility!
Total agreement on Ozil and in particular about him being sold asap. I CONSTANTLY POST ON HERE ABOUT HOW POISONOUS ALL LAZY PLAYERS ARE, HOWEVER NATURALLY GIFTED. Imagine if you were a world class violinist but could not be bothered to turn up at, say, the Albert Hall , even though all seats were aready sold out. Or a builder who did not turn up for his job. Ditto a school teacher, train driver, postman, etc etc. You would not last five minutes in the music profession and I speak with professional experience of that profession. What double standards allow footballers not to work hard when they cannot be bothered! If football fans had proper and ethical standards they would drum out of the profession ALL shirkers and half hearted tryers, however gifted they may be. I am amazed and appalled how many fans simply turn a blind eye to idle players outrageous conning of wages and letting down a highly professional sport. The world sport in fact.
See i see this old tiring boring rhetroic about Ozil being lazy and know one backing up there statements. Yet its been proven in the stats that he runs a lot longer and harder than a majority of the other arsenal players. When people say Ozil goes missing in games dont they realise as a number 10 you are the link between the midfield and forward and must stay in between the lines to supply the forward line quickly and also overload the wide areas to create triangles to manipulate the opooisition back-line. Ozil does this brilliantly.
Yes he can stick his foot in a bit more but hes not that type of player and also not to type to be running round like a headless chicken. If people wanted that at THE ARSENAL, then we should of just kept jack wilshire.
The fact Emery wanted to sign Ozil at PSG and named him one of the most hard working number 10’s in the world is very much a statement. And why i think when he comes back from injury i hope he can prove people wrong.