Mesut Özil’s latest setback gives Mikel Arteta another boost in the Arsenal regime

The once lively midfield playmaker has endured quite a decline from Premier League superstar to outcast at current Turkish giants Fenerbahce in recent years

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Mesut Ozil suspended by Fenerbahce

Mesut Ozil was suspended from all first-team action Fenerbahçe on Thursday after what is believed to have been a heated exchange with the club’s current interim manager Ismail Kartal.

The clash is said to have taken place during Sunday’s 2-1 home win against Konyaspor in a game that saw Özil ruled out at half-time. A statement from the Turkish side to read: “Our ‘Football A Team’ players Mesut Özil and Ozan Tufan have been excluded from the squad according to the decision made, it has been announced to the public.”

Consequently the former Germany internationally was kicked out of the Fenerbahce squad and not stand for selection or be allowed to train with the first team until further notice, leading to speculation he could be on the hunt for a new club as early as this summer. If Özil were to leave the Turkish titans, his departure would arguably mark a new low in his once glittering career.

Özil’s reputation has taken a beating in recent years, especially in his final days arsenal stay. When the world champion signed with the Gunners, there was real partying on the streets of Highbury, fans keen to buy their Özil 11 shirts and the midfielder represented the start of what many believed to be a new era for the Emirates.

Arsène Wenger could hardly hide his grin as he admitted to fans that he “might have a surprise in store for them” during his post-match media work the day before Özil’s arrival. Saying Arsenal are spending £42.5million on a real Madrid Stern was a surprise, is a bit of an understatement.

Much of Ozil’s time at Arsenal under Wenger and his successor Unai Emery is well documented, fleeting flashes, a stellar 2015/16 solo campaign and many moments when he was little more than a passenger on the pitch. The protection Wenger offered when it came to defending Ozil’s absence from away games in the north of the country was no longer available under the following manager – even if one came in the form of an ex-team-mate.

WILL YOU PARTICIPATE! Did Arteta treat Ozil badly as the club’s manager? comment under

Mikel Arteta actually shared an Arsenal dressing room with Özil for three years, leading many to believe Özil’s best days were about to return when the Spaniard was appointed manager of the club in late 2019. Without the emery-shaped albatross around his neck, the midfielder should show some perfection as a playmaker under the guidance of his old captain.

The reality was far from, things started bright enough with some nice team moves in the early days of Arteta’s reign with Ozil heavily involved, but the former soon became clear Manchester City The assistant had a style of play that overwhelmed his old teammate. the Covid-19 Pandemic and subsequent suspension of First League came at a time when Arteta’s attitude towards Özil was beginning to change.

The Gunners were one of the first games of Project Restart as they traveled to the Etihad to take on Pep Guardiola’s City. Arteta wanted to put an end to his former mentor and decided the best course of action was to cut Özil from the squad entirely. Pressured after the game, the Spaniard declared: “I’ll put him on the pitch if I think he can do his best.”

Arsenal’s No10 would only be named twice more in the matchday squad, once during the trip to southampton where he was an unused substitute and the shot of Ozil with his feet up and an umbrella protecting him from the shadows embodied everything that was wrong with this version of the Gunners in the eyes of some.

He was never really used after the Premier League resumed, although many demanded that he be used in the first half of the following season. High on the morale boost of his first trophy as manager [2020 FA Cup ]Arteta was sent back down to earth in some of the worst form Arsenal have ever seen in the run-up to Christmas 2020.

Meanwhile, there have been calls for his head as well – at least – if he wanted to stay close to use the playmaker once dubbed the “king of assists”. Arteta stood his ground and had the guts of his conviction to let the club’s highest-paid player rot in the reserves. With October 2021 rolling around, it was time for Arteta to confirm the 25 players he had picked for his Premier League squad for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.

While it came as no surprise to most that Özil’s name was not on that list, it still felt tough – a player once so adored by Gunners fans and opposition supporters alike had now not even made it forming a squad of 25 decision prompted Özil to break his silence with a long one Instagram Post Office.

Özil wrote: “This is difficult news for the Arsenal fans I have played for over the past few years. I’m genuinely deeply disappointed that I wasn’t signed up for the Premier League season for the time being.

“On signing my new contract in 2018, I swore my loyalty and allegiance to the club I love, Arsenal, and it saddens me that that hasn’t been reciprocated. As I’ve just found out, loyalty is hard to come by these days receive.”

“I’ve always tried to stay positive from week to week that maybe there’s a chance to get back in the squad soon. That’s why I’ve been silent until now Coronavirus Break I’ve been very happy with the development under our new coach Mikel Arteta – we’re on a positive path and I would say my performances have been at a really good level.

“But then things changed again and I wasn’t allowed to play football for Arsenal anymore. What more can I say? London still feels like home, I still have a lot of good friends in this team and I still feel like it still strongly connected.” the fans of this club.

“No matter what happens, I will keep fighting for my chance and not let my 8th season at Arsenal end like this. I can promise you that this difficult decision will not change my attitude – I will continue to train as well as I have.” can and wherever possible raise my voice against inhumanity and for justice.”

Reports soon circulated that Arteta’s decision to exile Ozil actually came from those above him, who were furious that the playmaker was the only one to turn down a pay cut at the height of the pandemic. For obvious reasons, Arteta has never disclosed whether this was actually the case, but the writing was on the wall space for Özil because of his contribution.

Over two years into his Gunners reign, Arteta’s Arsenal are a young, vibrant side, full of energy and players ready to put in hard work when it’s most needed in the toughest away games. Martin Odegaard has arguably filled in Özil’s footsteps with a style of play that Emirates fans have never seen from his German predecessor.

January 2021 marked the official end of Özil’s time in north London, his arrival at Fenerbahce capping a long, messy divorce from Arsenal that arguably should have happened sooner. This latest update from Turkey only suggests that the 33-year-old hasn’t learned any lessons.