Unai Emery revealed that the decision to cast out Mesut Ozil from the first-team was not just his.
The Arsenal boss cleared with it with the higher-ups at the Emirates after Ozil failed to impress him in training.
It has now been 12 games Ozil has not taken part in for the Gunners, having featured only twice in a Europa League and a Cup fixture. With the club suffering from creative problems, questions have been raised about the coach’s decision but Emery justified it by saying it was backed by Arsenal as a whole.
“Here we have one agreed strategy as a club and a team,” said the Spaniard. “Because the most important thing is the club, the team and finding a performance.
“Previously we were all speaking between us to take that decision. I know all the supporters want to know something [more] but now is not the moment.”
Ozil was not included once again in the Europa League tie against Vitoria SC on Thursday. Emery was once again bombarded with questions regarding the German’s absence to which he replied, “Tonight is not the day to speak about that. He’s not in the squad. That is the decision tonight. Now we are going to work towards Sunday.”
Ozil’s contract is set to last till June 2021. He is the highest-earner in the Premier League and seems to be happy to stick it out at North London.
“When I signed the new deal, I thought about it very carefully and said it was one of the most important decisions of my footballing career,” Ozil said in conversation with The Athletic.
“I didn’t want to stay for just one or two more years, I wanted to commit my future to Arsenal and the club wanted me to do the same. You can go through difficult times, like this, but that is no reason to run away and I’m not going to. I’m here until at least 2021.”
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