‘We are talking about performance’: Arsenal outcast Mesut Ozil must be better in training and in games to stay in Mikel Arteta’s plans, insists technical director Edu
- Mesut Ozil failed to play a minute for Arsenal after the restart under Mikel Arteta
- The German has a year left on £350,000-per-week contract with the Gunners
- Technical director Edu says Ozil must perform better to force his way back in
Mesut Ozil simply has to perform in training and games when he gets the chance to remain in Mikel Arteta’s plans technical director Edu insisted.
Ozil was a regular under Arteta pre-lockdown but failed to play a single minute for Arsenal after the restart as he was frozen out.
Ozil has a year left on his squad high £350,000-per-week contract and has made it clear he has no intention of going anywhere despite Arsenal being open to moving him on to get the burden of his salary off their wage bill.
Mesut Ozil must perform better to get back into the Arsenal team, says technical director Edu
The club’s chief (L) says the £350,000-per-week outcast needs to impress Mikel Arteta (C)
His refusal to budge and a continuation of his omission would leave Arsenal weighed down by his contract without getting anything for their money if he was not contributing to their cause.
However, Ozil has been back in the fold during pre-season and this week declared he is fit and ready to face Fulham in Arsenal’s season opener on Saturday.
Edu insists there is nothing untoward about his absence or anything special he has to do to get back in the side.
‘Here, we are talking of course about performance,’ Edu said. ‘Players with performance in training, the game, they are going to have opportunities because Mikel already showed that. It is for everyone.
The German a regular under Arteta but was frozen out after the restart failing to play a minute
‘We know how important everybody is. I know how important and how big the player is when you mention Mesut but in the end we are talking about performance here.
‘If he is performing well, people are performing well, who is the best in the training, the best in the game, I’m sure Mikel is going to select them to be in the squads to play games or to be on the bench.’
