Former team-mate Per Mertesacker claims that family and marriage might be the reason that Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil might be finding himself out of favour at the Emirates.
Ozil has not seen any action this season and was last week left out of the Gunner’s Europa League squad. Arsenal’s one-time assist king was also left out of Mikel Arteta’s Premier League squad for this season.
Speaking on the Klick and Rush podcast, Metersacker said things had changed for Ozil who now had interests away from the football pitch.
“A lot has changed away from the field. He got married, has a family… perhaps his focus has changed. Nevertheless, he is still happy and happy to play football,” he said.
Metersacker added that he was not happy that his former teammate, who he played with for two different clubs, was in limbo.
“He’s the only player I’ve played with for three teams – Bremen, Arsenal and also Germany. So I’m very sorry that he’s currently in a situation where he’s not really used.”
Ozil was joined by Sokratis Papastathopoulos in being axed from the Europa League squad and it appears that the pair will be frozen out this season, despite Arteta saying the door is not yet completely closed on the pair.
“I spoke to them face to face before I released the squad and I explained the reason why the numbers that we had,” Arteta said.
“It was really difficult to tell them that, but these are the restrictions and the rules. We have to respect that decision and try to train in the best possible way to help the team in that moment and see what happens in December.”