Unai Emery’s second year in charge of Arsenal has seen quite a few changes in personnel, with the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Dani Ceballos, David Luiz, and Kieran Tierney joining the Gunners, which could result in a top 4 position for the north London club this time around. Apart from Luiz, the other three new signings are young, bright talents, who could possibly play a big role in the successes of Arsenal this season, and perhaps in the future too. But one player who has been sidelined and is no longer an important player for the Gunners is Mesut Ozil, who is the highest-earning player at the club at a staggering £350,000 per week.
The German attacking midfielder has yet to play a game for Arsenal this season, mainly due to fitness issues as well as off the field issues. Ozil was an unused substitute in the north London derby and seems to have a few other players ahead of him in the eyes of manager Unai Emery, who is clearly not a fan of the former Real Madrid man.
Emery has three excellent attackers in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Nicolas Pépé, who will on most occasions start as the front three in Unai Emery’s 4-3-3 formation, which does not have space for a player like Mesut Ozil. Ozil is phenomenal in the final third and is a player who can thread the ball through defences and unlock stubborn backlines. But, in the current system that Emery plays, which favours wide players with pace, the 30-year-old German attacking midfielder could be a liability, especially against counter-attacking teams.
The loan signing of Dani Ceballos has possibly sent Ozil lower down the pecking order as the Spaniard is a player who is tenacious and quick in midfield, while also offering something further forward to create chances for his teammates along with zealous pressing. Ozil could perhaps be an option for the Gunners against weaker sides at home, or in a system that allows Emery to play an extra man in midfield to do his defensive duties to cover for the once-mesmeric German.
But, with the wages he is earning and the player already in his 30s, this is a time Arsenal can take a step forward and imbibe a ruthless attitude in their journey to an elusive Premier League trophy. As gifted a player Ozil is, it is difficult to see a place for him in the current Arsenal set-up and we foresee an exit in the next couple of windows with the player eventually having to take a pay cut.