Unai Emery told Arsenal need to sell 30-year-old
Arsenal need to sell Mesut Ozil this summer, according to ESPN pundit Paul Mariner
Arsenal need to offload Mesut Ozil even if the Gunners have to pay some of the German’s wages at his next club, according to the club’s former striker Paul Mariner.
Unai Emery has a limited transfer budget to spend on new signings this summer as the Arsenal boss looks to continue to rebuild the Gunners squad ahead of the new season.
Arsenal have only managed to sign Brazilian teenager Gabriel Martinelli in a £1.5m deal from South American club Ituano so far this summer.
The Gunners have been linked with a host of names in the current transfer window but Arsenal haven’t been able to get a deal over the line for a player who’ll immediately improve Emery’s squad.
Former Arsenal striker Mariner has now urged the Gunners to consider the sale of Ozil to free up space on their wage bill to recruit new players.
“Look, there’s rumours going around about Ozil, what’s going on with him,” Mariner told ESPN FC.
“We’re not privy to that, we’re not sure about stuff.
“But this guy has fallen off the map for me. The sort of football he was playing for Germany at the World Cup and playing for Arsenal, he was sensational.
“But he’s a shadow of his former self. He got a couple of goals, maybe a few assists, come on…
“For the amount of money they’re paying him, it’s painful.
“So I think the club should pay some of his wages and offload him.
“So I’m going to say ‘sayonara’.”
Arsenal finished in fifth spot in the Premier League table last season to narrowly miss out on a place in the Champions League.
The Gunners lost 4-1 to bitter rivals Chelsea FC in the Europa League final in Baku at the end of May to fail to capitalise on their alternative route into the Champions League group stage next term.
Emery took over from Arsene Wenger in 2018 after the Frenchman’s 22-year reign in charge of the north London outfit.
