Mesut Ozil’s Agent Calls Out Mikel Arteta Over Squad Omissions

Mesut Ozil‘s agent, Erkut Sogut, has claimed the Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has not been truthful as to why the player has been cast out of the squad.

The 32-year-old has not played since March and was this week omitted from Arsenal’s Premier League and Europa League squads.

After the announcement, the Arsenal manager said that he had failed with Ozil by not getting the best out of him. However, Sogut believes that an honest explanation is needed from Arteta.

Mesut Ozil’s Agent Calls Out Mikel Arteta Over Squad Exiles

Sogut’s Comments

In an interview with ESPN, Sogut said: “Arsenal fans deserve an honest explanation, not [Arteta] saying ‘I failed Ozil’. You didn’t fail Ozil. You failed to be fair, honest and transparent and treat someone with respect who has a contract and was loyal all the time.

“Every single person outside knows he hasn’t treated him fairly. He didn’t give him a chance to show himself this season. If he is still under contract, the player should have the option to stay and fight for his place.

“Mesut hasn’t been given that. Why would you put a player on the bench twice for 90 minutes [against Brighton and Crystal Palace in June] if he wasn’t fit or committed?”

Sogut went onto say that he has been in contact with players who has said they can’t understand why he has been left out.

He continued: “I spoke with at least five teammates who say he is training great. They say Mesut is one of their best players, and they cannot understand why he is left out. So it can’t be the training. If it is not the pitch, what are the footballing reasons? If you talk, you should tell the truth that the Arsenal fans deserve, otherwise don’t talk at all.”

Comparisons to Arteta’s Final Years as a Player

Sogut then spoke about Arteta’s last two years as an Arsenal player and how it compares to Ozil’s.

“He started zero games in the Premier League in his last season,” Sogut said. “He wasn’t there in the last six months at all, busy doing his coaching badges and meeting coaches for his future.

“Mesut plays for one English team and that’s it because he feels he can only play for that team. He is a Gunner in the end.”

“Mesut is not a player who is yesterday a Toffee and today a Gunner. Arteta didn’t play at all in the final two years, but they still registered him because he was given a contract.

“Arsene Wenger put him on the field for the final two minutes of his last game just to give him a nice moment, even though he wasn’t fit for months. Look at how [Arteta] was treated in his final two years, and how Mesut is getting treated in his final year.”

Mesut Ozil’s Response to Omission

Ozil responded to exclusion himself, releasing a statement via Twitter which explained that he had pledged his loyalty to the club when signing a new contract in 2018 and he was disappointed that that loyalty had not been reciprocated with the club.

He also vowed to keep fighting and that he would not allow his eighth, and what looks like final, season at Arsenal end in this way.