Not much has gone right for Arsene Wenger’s side who have managed to pick up just 4 points from their last 5 Premier League. This slump in form has pushed them into the 4th place, 12 points off Chelsea at the top of the table. The manager will be frustrated with the performances of his side recently and will hope that they can improve over the course of the rest of the season but he will now have to also worry about keeping hold of his players in the current squad, Though Wegner has got a few players to sign new contracts, two players who are yet to put pen to paper are former La Liga duo Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
The German playmaker, who broke a few PL records in the last couple of years, started this season in fine form but has been ineffective for more than a few games now. He has entered the final 18 months of his contract and is waiting to hear about Wenger’s future before he can commit to his. This disagreement between the two parties in England has caught the eye of Luis Enrique, who has now approached Mesut Ozil for a move to the Camp Nou at the end of the season. If Ozil does not sign a new deal in the next 4 months, Enrique might be able to lure him out of the Emirates but can Arsenal afford to let him go?
The former Real Madrid star is easily amongst the best players in his position in world football at the moment. He has the ability to create and score goals for his side but his consistency and the lack of performances against tougher opponents has always been criticized. The 28-year old has 5 goals and 5 assist in the Premier League this season, most of which came before the turn of the year while he also has 4 goals and 3 assists in the Champions League. Though it is not the greatest return, he is among the most effective midfielders in the Premier League and will be a big loss to Arsenal.
He is the player who Arsenal rely on for breaking down small teams who love to sit back and defend while his quality on the ball against tougher opponents gives them a chance to stay in the game. He is usually not as effective against top sides in the league, but Ozil is easily one of the most important players for the side. It is understood that Ozil is looking at a pay-rise that will make him the highest earner at the Emirates and there is hardly any reason why he should miss out on it.
Though Arsenal have not been successful recently, Ozil will know that there is enough quality in the squad to go all the way and that he has to work harder to influence tough games this season. The Gunners can recoup most of what they paid for him a few years ago to Real Madrid, but they will find it near impossible to get in a player who can replicate or improve on the performances that Ozil has made at the club.
Ozil, a first team player, is not even blocking the path for a youngster at the club and though he is at times lethargic, Arsenal need him to play regularly to win consistently and selling him off and searching for a replacement does not make much sense. He is a top class player and will be tempted to go to Barcelona but Wenger and Arsenal should do everything they can to keep him at the club.
Do you think Wenger should sell Ozil this summer?