Sports
I love Arsenal, I’ll decide when I go not others – Ozil
Mesut Ozil insists he is the only person who will decide when he leaves Arsenal after the German star was frozen out by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
Ozil has not played for Arsenal since the coronavirus hiatus amid reports the club are keen to get his huge salary off the wage bill.
The 31-year-old earns a reported £350,000-per-week ($458,000) but has rarely provided good value since his 2013 move from Real Madrid.
Ozil was absent as Arsenal beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final on August 1, but he will not allow the club to force him out before his contract expires in June 2021.
Holding out hope of winning back his place next season, Ozil told the Athletic:
“Things have been difficult but I love Arsenal. I’ll decide when I go, not other people.
“I’ll give everything I have for this club. Situations like these will never break me, they only make me stronger.
“I showed in the past that I can come back into the team and I will show it again.”
Ozil fell out of favour with Arteta’s predecessor Unai Emery but started all 10 of Arsenal’s Premier League games after the former Gunners midfielder took charge in December.
However, he has not featured in their past 13 matches in all competitions, with Arteta saying his exile was down to “football reasons”.
Ozil believes he deserves another chance and he said:
“You don’t play 10 games in a row if you’re unfit, not good enough or don’t behave well.”
Arteta and many Arsenal players accepted a 12.5 per cent pay cut in April as a result of the financial fall-out from the coronavirus.
But Ozil did not vote for the cut and he is concerned that “possibly the decision affected my chances on the pitch.
“As players, we all wanted to contribute. But we needed more information and many questions were unanswered.”
Ozil fears there is now an agenda against him that will make the rest of his time at Arsenal uncomfortable.
“I guess that’s because it is me and people have been trying for two years to destroy me, to make me unhappy, to push an agenda they hope will turn the supporters against me and pain a picture that is not true,” he said.
-
News19 hours ago
Active WWII bomb discovered near German stadium
-
News22 hours ago
Boat mishap: CILT demands stakeholders’ collaboration for waterways safety
-
Metro22 hours ago
Insecurity: Plateau community seeks ban of bandits-friendly bikes
-
health8 hours ago
UK pledges £1b to support Nigeria’s fight against malaria
-
Economy8 hours ago
Good tax system will attract foreign investment – CITN
-
Metro8 hours ago
Police foil kidnapping attempt, rescue three victims in Bauchi
-
News8 hours ago
Tinubu mourns Enugu senator Ayogu Eze
-
News9 hours ago
Anambra lawmaker raises alarm over cult-related deaths in Awka