Paul Merson and Tim Sherwood have slammed Arsenal for exiling their ‘most talented player’ Mesut Ozil.
Ozil has almost certainly played his last game for the Gunners after being left out of Arsenal’s 25-man Premier League squad for the 2020-21 season.
Mikel Arteta says he has ‘failed’ with Ozil and insisted his absence was purely down to ‘footballing reasons’.
But both Merson and Sherwood believe Ozil should be in Arsenal’s team and ‘cannot understand’ the way he has been treated.
‘I can’t see how it’s for footballing reasons,’ Gunners hero Merson told Sky Sports ‘The lad is too talented, too good.
‘For him not to get a place in this Arsenal team, it must be more than just football.
‘He can make things happen. He was in Arteta’s team before the lockdown and everything went through him.
‘He’s a special player and it’s a shame we won’t see him now.’
Former Tottenham boss Sherwood added: ‘It sounds like the club’s decision rather than Arteta’s.
‘Yes, they have superb fire power in [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Alexandre] Lacazette but they lack creativity and he [Ozil] is a top player.
‘His work-rate and body language can be frustrating but when he plays well, he is a top-drawer player who can play for any club in the Premier League.’
Ozil has vowed to keep fighting in an attempt to rescue his Arsenal career but his agent slammed Arteta this week and accused the Gunners boss of telling lies.
Dr. Erkut Sogut told ESPN: ‘Arsenal fans deserve an honest explanation, not [Arteta] saying “I failed Ozil.”
‘You didn’t fail Ozil: you failed to be fair, honest and transparent and treat someone with respect who has a contract and was loyal all the time.
‘Every single person outside knows he hasn’t treated him fairly. He didn’t give him a chance to show himself this season.’
