Mesut Özil has been a point of bitter debate between Arsenal fans, pundits and the wider footballing community ever since he arrived in North London for £42.5 million.
In the Premier League alone he has played 177 games for the Arsenal and provided an impressive 53 assists and 32 goals for a combined total of 85 goals directly created by the German and many more in which he had a hand in the build-up. Even with these statistics, many feel Özil’s time with the Gunners may be running short.
At 31 years old, Özil is not the exciting prospect he once was and has several seasons in which fans have criticised his performances. Although he is a shining light in the Arsenal midfield when he plays his game, it has always felt that Özil “goes missing” in key games, drifting around the pitch struggling to make an impact.
It was hoped that with the signing of strong defensive midfielders in Granit Xhaka, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira, the pressure could be taken off Özil and he would be left to attack freely without worrying for the Gunner’s defence, but with even greater struggles at the back this season this hasn’t been the case.
Under Mikel Arteta, Özil has seen a renewed spark, showing in the FA Cup Third Round against Leeds that even in difficult games for his style of play, he can put the work in and help the side to a well-fought result.
Despite his recent uptick in performance in line with the rest of the Arsenal’s squad, Mesut Özil’s contract is up in 2021, and his potential transfer must be weighing heavy on the minds of both Arteta and the Arsenal board.
Is it best to cash in now before it is too late? And do Arsenal have the depth or purchasing power to replace the gap he would leave in the team? These are the questions that Mikel Arteta has to think about before the January transfer window comes to an end.
There is still some belief that the playmaker might have a lot more to show us under the new management and feel he could play a vital role in reinvigorating the struggling North London side.
What do you think, can Ozil rejuvenate his Arsenal career?
