Mesut Ozil has become Arsenal's bystander... the German is set to leave with a whimper and not the bang they hoped for when he joined for £42.5m

  • Arsenal's capture of Mesut Ozil was the standout transfer in the summer of 2013
  • But four years on the indispensability of German World Cup winner is debatable
  • Ozil, 28, is in a contract stand-off and could leave the club for free this summer 
  • He has not registered a goal or assist in five Premier League games this season 

In what could be his fifth and final season for Arsenal, Mesut Ozil has yet to secure a goal or an assist for Arsene Wenger’s side.

The German World Cup winner is in a contract stand-off and will be free to leave in the summer – possibly for another Premier League club, with Manchester United linked.


In 2015-16, he was involved in 25 goals. The following season, 17. Now, Germany’s five-time Player of the Year could walk out of Arsenal with a whimper and not the bang they wanted.

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil is in a contract stand-off and will be free to leave the club this summer

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil is in a contract stand-off and will be free to leave the club this summer

The German World Cup winner has not secured a goal or an assist for the Gunners this season

The German World Cup winner has not secured a goal or an assist for the Gunners this season

Three FA Cups and a Community Shield was not what Arsenal had in mind when they signed Ozil in 2013 – a move they thought would take them to the next level.

It didn’t happen but that is far from down to Ozil. Signing no-one other than a goalkeeper in Petr Cech in the summer of 2015 was a greater reason for their lack of Premier League titles.

Yet this season could be Ozil’s last chance to help them get close to a first championship since 2004 and he is not having an impact.

Injury has hampered the 28-year-old this season with only five league appearances so far.

While on the sidelines, Arsenal have won five of the six matches in which he has not started. The odd one out saw them hold Chelsea to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge too.

Ozil's move to Arsenal in 2013 was the standout transfer in a summer when £630m was spent

Ozil's move to Arsenal in 2013 was the standout transfer in a summer when £630m was spent

But he was left on the bench for their Premier League victory over West Brom last month

But he was left on the bench for their Premier League victory over West Brom last month

Criticising Ozil comes at the risk of infuriating the Arsenal supporters who adore him. On his day, he is destructive, and his work-rate is underrated, yet his indispensability is debatable.

In the summer of 2013, when £630million was spent in total, Ozil to Arsenal for £42.5m was the transfer that stood out.

Arsenal’s supporters wanted a statement and got one. Ivan Gazidis, their chief executive, hailed the signing and said majority shareholder Stan Kroenke ‘wants to see Arsenal winning titles and trophies’. It was as big as deadline day business can be.

Four years on, and having had the occasional moments of magic ahead of turning 29 next week, there is now a question over whether he will be missed.

Ozil’s Premier League appearances this season were against Leicester, Stoke, Liverpool, Bournemouth and West Brom, with no goals, no assists and 15 chances created in total. His four starts have seen them win two and lose two.

The German international has created 15 chances in five league appearances so far this season

The German international has created 15 chances in five league appearances so far this season

These spells out of form have led to pundits having their say in the past. It was at the start of September when Ozil hit out: ‘I've had to accept a lot of criticism during my time in London. “Too expensive, too greedy, bad body language, and lacking fight”.

‘Although criticism is something that all football players have to deal with, I nevertheless expected legends to behave like legends – my advice to these former Gunners: stop talking and start supporting!’

That was him having his say off the pitch. Since then, he has been unable to shut them up on it.

Manchester United are said to want Ozil, with Jose Mourinho possibly looking at a swoop in January. They could wait to get him for nothing in the summer, although where that would leave Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan remains to be seen.

Jose Mourinho brought Ozil to Real Madrid and the pair could be set for a reunion this summer

Jose Mourinho brought Ozil to Real Madrid and the pair could be set for a reunion this summer

It was Mourinho who brought Ozil to Real Madrid from Werder Bremen in 2010 and, with Nemanja Matic as an example, the former Chelsea manager enjoys a reunion.

From Arsenal’s point of view, such a move would do more harm than good and only go to show their willingness to sell to a direct rival.

Would it be as big of a loss as Robin van Persie’s move to Manchester United in 2012? No, but it would still hurt, with Arsenal knowingly interested in having him sign a new contract.

Sportsmail’s Martin Keown warned this week when speaking about Ozil: ‘It’s going to get messy.’

It is indeed, with the divorce still set to go ahead, Ozil struggling for fitness and form, and the distractions to only intensify once the summer gets closer as he looks for a new club.