Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil is reportedly weighing up a January exit after being left out of the club’s Premier League and Europa League squads. The German’s time at the Emirates is all but over after being snubbed for both competitions.
The Gunners left Ozil and Sokratis out of their 25-man squads for Europe and the league and it appears unlikely either of the duo will ever play for the club again.
Ozil has not featured for Mikel Arteta’s men since March and has only made two match-days squad since the Premier League restart back in June.
The 32-year-old still has eight months to run on his club-record £350,000-a-week contract with Arsenal but is unlikely to play a competitive match again until next season if he does not leave.
World Cup-winning playmaker Ozil is highly unlikely to get a send-off appearance in the FA Cup given he has not featured in the Carabao Cup this season.
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Arsenal can edit their Premier League squad in January but unless another non-homegrown player leaves the club to free up a space, Ozil or Sokratis will remain on the outside of the squad.
And the Daily Star say that Ozil will now explore his options and could reluctantly accept a move away from north London in the winter window.
He had been keen to see out the final months of his deal and reportedly rejected Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in the summer despite a £200,000-a-week contract offer.
Ozil is thought to be attracting interest from MLS outfit DC United and Arsenal would presumably be willing to lose him for a nominal fee if not for free.
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The Premier League side have long been keen to get Ozil’s huge £20million-a-year salary off of their books.
Arsenal are looking to trim down their wage bill and the former Germany international has rarely justified such a pay-packet since being handed his current deal in January 2018 by Arsene Wenger.
Discussing the decision to leave Ozil out of his Europa League squad, Arteta explained last week: “I spoke to them face to face before I released the squad and I explained the reason why the numbers that we had.
“It was really difficult to tell them that, but these are the restrictions and the rules.
“We have to respect that decision and try to train in the best possible way to help the team in that moment and see what happens in December [when the squad can be changed].”
Wenger, who brought Ozil to Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013, insists the German remains an “exceptional” talent and believes off-the-field issues are behind his exile.
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Ozil was initially a massive success for Arsenal and a fans’ favourite but his stock has fallen rapidly in the past few years.
The legendary French coach told Sky Sports: “I don’t know what’s happening on a daily basis.
“I just say one thing, the creative players are the players who are perfectionists and they are a bit more sensitive sometimes and they need to be encouraged.
“Because if I want to play a risky pass I need to be confident and creative players they create this pass that makes the team dangerous.
“Mesut Ozil is an exceptional football player. What’s happening at the moment between him and the club looks to be more confrontational, it’s not [only] based on sport, I’m convinced.
“This guy has won things. He’s a world champion, he’s an exceptional football player.”
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