Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has said that Mesut Ozil is in ‘big trouble’ at Arsenal and could be sold in January if Unai Emery decides he does not part of his plans. The German was left out of Arsenal’s 18 man squad for the Carabao Cup game against Tottenham due to tactical reasons and Ozil will have to work hard to force his way into the starting eleven.
Redknapp said: “I think he’s in big trouble to be honest because the manager doesn’t fancy him.
“He brought him on for 20 minutes at the weekend, I wouldn’t say he gave the ball away but there was one moment where he let the ball run, was lackadaisical and he just doesn’t fit the mould and unless he changes as a player and starts to show desire to get around the pitch and energy like the other midfielders have got in that team he won’t get in.”
“It won’t be easy to shift him, he’s on such big money, that’s the problem, he’s a super talent, unbelievable footballer, but he needs to work harder and if he doesn’t I think he’ll leave, I can’t see a place for him in that team and I’m not sure you can get him to all of a sudden be a hard working midfielder, he sees the game as he sees it, he’s laid back, I don’t see him as this guy’s cup of tea.
“When a manager has got the courage to make decisions like that, it gets everyone on their toes.
“Mesut Ozil is the highest paid player, the biggest name, the manager’s come in and has not been afraid to say ‘you’re not in my team, you’re not even on my bench’, against Spurs, that gets everyone going ‘if he does it to Mesut he’ll do it to us’.
“So you can only see one outcome, I don’t see a way back for him. He’ll have his cameos of course, because he’s a talent, but not as a starter, I think he’ll move him on.”