Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Arsenal transfer news: Gunners told how to get rid of Mesut Ozil as Unai Emery seeks funds
ARSENAL must ask Mesut Ozil what he wants to leave the club and give it to him with the German having once again been dropped by Unai Emery.
Unai Emery's decision to drop Ozil is 'remarkable' says pundit
That’s according to former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop.
The Gunners play-maker was once again absent from the match-day 18 at the weekend as Arsenal lost 1-0 away at West Ham due to Declan Rice’s strike.
Arsenal were toothless away at their London rivals and sorely missed the kind of creativity Ozil can provide, though Emery has opted against picking the ex-Real Madrid creator in tough away matches.
Emery said afterwards on Ozil: “For me he is like another player. It’s one decision, when one player is coming or not coming.
“Sometimes he is helping us, at other moments he is not helping us because of his injury or because maybe the match is not for him. But he is a good player.”
Ozil was previously a major part of the Arsenal squad under Emery’s predecessor Arsene Wenger but has become a luxury player at the Emirates, and one that they cannot afford to absent from the bench or out of the squad altogether.
The World Cup winner is on a £350,000-a-week long-term contract at the club that he only signed 12 months ago under Wenger.
But Emery has been banned from making any permanent transfers this month as he seeks to strengthen his squad, which is now six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea as Arsenal chase a Champions League return.
It’s become a distraction in the dressing room, he’s clearly not wanted by Emery
That’s with Arsenal reluctant to sanction the money Emery wants to spend on new signings, such as Denis Suarez from Barcelona who has been confirmed as a target but is unlikely to join the club this month at least.
But Hislop thinks with Ozil not commanding any interest from any European clubs despite his pedigree and ability that Arsenal should give in to whatever demands he may have in order to push him out of the door and free up finances.
“It’s without question a lot is going on behind the scenes to get Mesut Ozil out,” Hislop told ESPN FC.
“He is under no pressure [to leave] because of that five-year contract he signed. He’s probably thinking, ‘What’s the difference? I can see it out here in London, it’s great.’
“You bring in a new manager, you have to back him, give Ozil whatever he wants to make him leave.
“It’s become a distraction in the dressing room, he’s clearly not wanted by Emery.
“Whatever it takes [give it to him], don’t go on this ridiculous [path of] Emery trying to upset Ozil to force him out because he’s not going to move.
“You want Ozil out so you try and make life as uncomfortable as possible, the manager will say all kinds of nonsense, get him upset and then take a knockdown price.
“That’s not going to happen. Call him in, ask him what he wants to leave, give it to him, see him out.”
Ozil has not played since Boxing Day after a brief absence with a knee injury but returned to training last week. He will hope to be back in the squad when Arsenal take on rivals Chelsea in a crunch clash this Saturday (5.30pm).