Mesut Ozil has been handed an Arsenal lifeline by the sacking of Unai Emery.
The German superstar was consistently shunned by the Spaniard, barely featuring this season and finding his prospects at the Emirates looking bleak.
The polarising playmaker was in Emery’s plans when he first arrived but gradually slipped further down the pecking order as last season progressed.
The pair clearly never saw eye to eye, with The Athletic providing details of their rocky relationship.
It is claimed that Ozil’s effort levels and attendance left Emery and his coaching staff unimpressed.
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They were also said to have detected a “significant difference” in Ozil’s physical statistics including high-intensity runs when opponents had the ball in home and away matches.
With Emery keen to play a pressing game, he was determined to get the German to conform.
But Ozil, the club’s highest earner on a £350,000-a-week deal, never bought into Emery’s philosophy.
A summer move never materialised, with Ozil’s representatives believing Emery’s man-management was a bid to force him out.
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The German resisted, declaring in an interview his intention to stay put at the Emirates for the remainder of his contract.
The removal of Emery now gives him a new lease of life and a chance to prove he still has a part to play as the club eye a revival.
For the time being, Freddie Ljungberg will be the man to decide whether he warrants a place.
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Moving forward, a number of names are in the frame and Ozil – like other team-mates – will be given a fresh start.
He has started the last three Premier League games, making minimal impact during Arsenal’s poor run of form in a style of play which did not seem to suit him.
After being introduced as a substitute as Arsenal chased the game in Emery’s final act against Eintracht Frankfurt, he may start for a fourth straight game at Norwich on Sunday.
