MIKEL ARTETA insisted he “did his best” to involve Mesut Ozil at Arsenal.
However, the Gunners boss confirmed the £350,000-a-week German’s brutal axe was “best for the club”.
Mikel Arteta says it is in the best interests of Arsenal that Mesut Ozil is no longer part of the team – despite the Spaniard’s best effortsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Ozil, 32, has not played for the Emirates side since March 7 and has not even made a matchday squad this season.
To make matters worse, the playmaker and World Cup winner was left out of both Arsenal’s Premier League and Europa League squads.
And with his contract expiring in eight months, it looks as though Ozil has already pulled on a Gunners shirt for the 254th and final time.
Arteta told Sky Sports: “What I can tell you that I tried my best, I tried to give him as many opportunities as I could.
“And that from my own side, I’ve been patient, given him opportunities and been fair.
“He’s a player that belongs to a football club, he’s been a really important player in the last few seasons.
“I have to respect that, I’m here to make decisions, the best decisions for the team and for the club.
“This is what I try to do and then I have to explain them because people need the reasons and the right answers.
“I just give mine, whether they believe me or agree with me or not, there’s nothing I can do.
“But I have to put my decisions, with my heart and with my brain to make the right decisions that I believe are good.”
Ozil took to social media following his latest snub to hit out at Arsenal over a lack of loyalty – and promised to continue “fighting for his chance”.
The former Real Madrid man said: “Upon signing my 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.”
Ozil continued: “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 would say my performances were on a really good level.
“But then things changed, again, and I was not longer allowed to play football for Arsenal.”
Ozil’s agent Dr Erkut Sogut accused boss Arteta of not telling the truth about why he has frozen the German playmaker out at the Emirates.
But Arteta claims honesty is at the heart of his leadership, insisting he HAS been honest with Ozil and his Arsenal revolution is a matter of trust.
Mikel Arteta bullish over Mesut Ozil axe and insists Arsenal outcast has no-one to blame but himself
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
