Ian Wright admits Mesut Ozil situation at Arsenal is ‘devastating’
Ian Wright admits Mesut Ozil's situation at Arsenal right now is "devastating" for him to see
Ian Wright has admitted that Mesut Ozil’s current situation is “devastating” for him to watch as an Arsenal fan.
The German playmaker’s situation at The Emirates has been a major talking point over the last few months due to his inability to hold down a regular spot in the first team at The Emirates.
Ozil had initially made a positive start to life under new boss Mikel Arteta following the Spaniard’s appointment at the end of last year, but he has since fallen out of favour in recent months.
The 31-year-old is Arsenal’s highest paid player but he scored just one goal in 23 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners last season.
Arsenal legend Wright believes that Ozil could offer much to the Gunners side this season and he is hoping that he will be able to work his way back into the first team under Arteta.
Speaking in an interview quoted by Metro before Arsenal’s clash with West Ham United on Saturday night, Wright said: “If you could have got Mesut Ozil onside in this particular team with the way this manager thinks with the intensity that we now have he is literally the perfect player.
“But it doesn’t seem like this is going to happen. It doesn’t seem like there is (a way back). I was at the ground the other day and he was walking around, he looked happy enough.
“The confusing thing for me is everybody knows that if you do buy into Arteta’s game plan then you are probably going to get in there.
“I just find it really sad that we haven’t got anybody that can convince him or make Ozil understand that even if you are going to leave…
“At the end of the day he is still paid to be a footballer for that club and so while he is there you want him to do the best he can for them.
“Now if his attitude isn’t right in training or whatever and the manager isn’t seeing it, I just find it devastating that we can’t get somebody to make him understand how integral he is to what we could be doing right now.”
Ozil has scored a total of 44 goals in 254 games for Arsenal since signing for the Gunners from Real Madrid in the summer transfer window of 2013.
The Gunners are in League Cup action on Tuesday night when they travel to face Leicester City in the third round.
After that, the north London side, who finished eighth last season, will prepare themselves for a crunch away clash against defending Premier League champions Liverpool FC at Anfield on Monday 28 September.
