Paul Merson has admitted that Arsenal might have to pay Mesut Ozil off for the German to leave the club this summer.
Ozil is Arsenal’s highest-paid player, but the German is also arguably their worst player at the moment.
He doesn’t seem to feature in the immediate plans of Mikel Arteta, and the Spaniard hasn’t called on him to play in any game since the restart.
Ahead of the summer transfer window, the Gunners need all the money that they can get as they look to keep hold of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and also to make some good signings.
Ozil’s wage can help them add three players to their wage bill, but Merson reckons that the German won’t leave unless the Gunners would offer to pay him off in the summer.
Ex-midfielder Merson told the Daily Star: ‘There’s Mesut Ozil’s wages to get off the books. They might end up having to pay him just to leave.
‘And Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang needs a new contract that won’t come cheap. He’s already in his 30s but Arsenal can’t afford to lose him.
‘That’s a lot of money gone already. Arsenal don’t gamble with their money.’
Ozil was made available for transfers last summer, but his high wages and age means no team is willing to take a chance on him.
This is a huge decision for Arsenal to make, paying off Ozil will not come cheap but it will draw a line under a sorry saga once and for all.
Put him in the reserves, make him clean boots, sell programmes, scratch cards, clean the toilets or anything but pay the thief off. Let him rot in the reserves or train with the under 18s if he isn’t going to try and at least earn some of his salary.
If Ozil was genuinely concerned about his football career he would’ve taken a pay cut and moved on a couple of seasons ago.
However he couldn’t give a toss about playing and is hell bent on taking Arsenal the full 9 yards with his colossal wages.
He is a multi millionaire and taking a wage cut to move to a club that would actually play him would have no impact on his healthy bank account but unfortunately he’s happy kicking back and taking the dosh.
So it appears Steven
Funnily enough, i agree.
I am sure I read somewhere If they pay him off they hold his registration to stop him walking into another club for the remaining 12 months
As much as it angers me that ozil is earning that kind of money for nothing, it’s the clubs fault and not his. If arsenal didn’t feel he was worth it (he’s not), they shouldn’t have offered it. Bench him all you want but he signed a deal and it’s our problem now. Anyone who’s mad at ozil for it is a dumb hypocrite. Can’t wait til he’s gone but let’s not act like he stole from us.
Not entirely fair.
There is nothing wrong with offering a decent salary. You just hope that the generosity is reciprocated
i agree that it’s not ozil’s fault we are in this situation. the club got completely duped. We can still form opinions about his character based on this though, and the facts are since signing that new contract he has done much of nothing and doesn’t really seem to mind. For a world cup winner, that’s a shame.
Perhaps Wenger and Gazidis could contribute towards the pay out.After all they are the guys who made the decision to pay Ozil a fortune. I am willing to bet that neither of these two have ever lost any sleep over the five year sentence they effectively imposed on our Club.
CORRECT!
It’s very telling how this player is called so many names, but Mikel Arteta is letting him train with the first team as he recovers from injury -on the other hand, Guendouzi has been banished from the first team squad, for his actions and attitude, not even attempting to apologise to MA.
I wonder what he is costing the club in wages and what damage he is causing?
Funny that our coach says Ozil’s salary, along with every other player, doesn’t concern him at all, but it is always the talking point amongst the fans who feel they can abuse someone with impunity.
Probably the same ones that were so indignant when Xhaka gave them it back – poor little snowflakes who feel they are entitled to give it out, but can’t stand it when they are challenged themselves.
Hypocrites every single one of them.
I’m quite happy to let Mikel Arteta handle the situation and listen to what he has to say about Ozil – just as I do with Guendouzi and every other player he coaches.
He’s not doing too badly up to now as far as I can tell and his latest comment, where he urges Ozil and Guendouzi to follow Xhaka’s example says it all…do it my way or not at all…it’s obvious who is in charge!!!
Sounds like absolute common sense to me and he has my 100% support, but then I don’t hate anybody, accuse them of being thieves, frauds, mentally frail or dross – this kind of hatred and abuse is akin to the same kind of rhetoric we were all condemning AFTV for the other day – just a different heading.
Thank you.
So far only one popped up, where are the remaining gone?
There has been little to commend Ozil to the vast majority who comment on JA lately
A man blessed with huge talent he has squandered it and in the eyes of the many. I truly wish I could see beyond this conclusion that I have come to, but as each week goes by there is little sign to show the opposite.
I’m not saying he is greedy. Quite possibly like Wenger at the very end, when neither could see the wood for the trees. Everyone has their day… it just depends how they bow out.
The decision has already been made to force him out. Why Arsenal cannot buy him out of his contract, dont know. Maybe something in the horrible terms they conjured up. The day this was announced I said the club would come to regret it while everyone else was celebrating just because we had recently lost Sanchez. Ozil is being nothing but a leech, and it is the clubs own fault for putting themselves in this position. He will get another year of wages just for showing up to practice. Valuable and expensive lesson learned I hope. And Ozil, one of the worst personalities we have ever let wear our shirt.
A waste of talent. When his career ends will he regret just taking the money and not plying his trade elsewhere. He has destroyed his reputation and any legacy at Arsenal.