Ozil's agent: Arsenal boss Arteta is being dishonest
Mesut Ozil's agent is accusing Mikel Arteta of being dishonest after the Arsenal manager claimed the midfielder's omission from the team's Premier League and Europa League squads was a football decision.
“Arsenal fans deserve an honest explanation, not (Arteta) saying: ‘I failed Ozil,’” Erkut Sogut told ESPN FC's James Olley "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 fight for his place. Mesut hasn’t been given that."
"I spoke with at least five teammates who say he is training great," he added. "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."
Ozil's exclusion from Arsenal's 25-man Premier League squad this week means the 32-year-old is prohibited from playing senior football until January at the earliest.
The German international said the omission made him "deeply disappointed."
Ozil, who arrived at Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013 for £42 million, hasn't appeared in a match for the Gunners since March, and he hasn't been named to a matchday squad since June.
A series of incidents have led to the belief among some that his relationship with the club is strained, despite no public acknowledgment from Arsenal. Ozil was reportedly upset when the team didn't back him after the veteran condemned the treatment of millions of Uighurs living in Xinjiang, China.
Ozil, whose contract will expire next year, also made headlines in April after refusing to take a 12.5% pay cut like the rest of his teammates in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sogut revealed there was an opportunity for Ozil to leave Arsenal in 2018 in a deal that included a £30-million signing-on fee. But he opted to stay, signing a contract worth a team-high £350,000-a-week.
"Maybe the club will change their position in January and register him. You never know what will happen," Sogut said.