Arsenal legend Ian Wright admits he’s ‘gutted’ that Mesut Ozil’s career at the club appears to be over.
The German was left out of Arsenal’s Premier League squad earlier this week by Mikel Arteta, while he was left out of the Gunners’ Europa League squad earlier in the month.
It means Ozil’s only chance of featuring for the club comes in the Carabao Cup, where Arsenal will take on Manchester City in the quarter-finals.
Ozil’s agent blasted Arteta for freezing out the German playmaker in a wide-ranging interview this week and the club have been accused of ostracising the former Real Madrid midfielder since his decision to criticise China for their mistreatment of Uighur Muslims.
The German is Arsenal’s highest earner on £350,000-a-week and the club are desperate to get him off the wage bill, particularly as he refused to take a pay-cut alongside the rest of his team-mates.
Wright admits it’s a crying shame that a player of Ozil’s class has been frozen out but says Arteta must do what he feels is best for the club.
‘It’s a shame,’ Wright told Premier League Productions.
‘From a professional point of view I’m gutted for Ozil because for some reason they can’t settle their differences.
‘At the same time you’ve got to admire the manager sticking to his guns. He’s the one that’s said listen: ‘This is my decision’.
‘Forr whatever reason he doesn’t want to play Mesut. It’s a shame because he’s a quality player.
‘This is the thing for Arsenal fans they can’t say: ‘I’m not having you Mikel because you’re not having him’ or ‘Okay I’m not having Mesut because they’re getting (sic)…
‘Sometimes it just happens like that. Unfortunately for Mesut as a professional that wants to play football it won’t happen here. From what Mikel is trying to do Arsenal fans have to concentrate on now, it’s all about the team and the progression of the team.’
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