Arsenal superstar Mesut Ozil, who hasn’t seen a minute of playing time since March 7, has hit back at his club for leaving him out of their Premier League squad registration. Also left out of the club’s Europa League squad list, there is simply just no place for him right now at the north London club.
Ozil, who has been provided at least one escape route, via a club in Saudi Arabia, is intent on staying put seeing through the completion of his contract, which pays him £350,000-a-week. That’s good work, if you can get it, all that money, just to train.
???? #M1Ö #YaGunnersYa pic.twitter.com/hF7abGklOT
— Mesut Özil (@M10) October 21, 2020
In his statement, which is in full, below, he hit out at the “loyalty” of the club, saying he’s been loyal to them, but that loyalty has not been returned.
This is a difficult message to write to Arsenal fans that I’ve played for over the past few years. I’m really deeply disappointed by the fact that I have not been registered for the Premier League season for the time being. Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal, and it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated. As I have just found out, loyalty is hard to come by nowadays. I’ve always tried to remain positive from week to week that there’s maybe a chance to get back in the squad soon again. That’s why I kept silent so far.
Before the Coronavirus break I was really happy with the development under our new coach Mikel Arteta – we’ve been on a positive way and I was say my performances were on a really good level. But then things changed, again, and I was no longer allowed to play football for Arsenal.
What else can I say? London still feels like home, I still have many good friends in this team, and I still feel a strong connection with the fans of this club. No matter what, I will keep fighting for my chance an not let my 8th season at Arsenal end like this. I can promise you that this hard decision won’t change anything in my mindset – I will continue to train as best as I can and wherever possible use my voice against inhumanity and for justice.
This is going to be one bitter divorce, but also a situation where divorce is definitely a very good thing. Expect the situation around Mesut Ozil to turn even uglier, before it finally improves.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.