Mesut Ozil could leave Arsenal as soon as next month, according to former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol.
The German was left out of the Gunners’ squad to face Tottenham on Wednesday, with Unai Emery’s side losing 2-0 and exiting the EFL Cup.
It raised fresh question marks over Ozil’s future, with the 30-year-old left out for ‘tactical reasons’.
Speaking to ESPN FC, Nicol claimed a good team is likely to snap up Ozil in January, although a likely drop in wages has to be expected:
I think he’s probably going to go in January. Arsenal have to eat maybe half his wages and Ozil will still go to a good side.
Clearly Emery has sent a message. I am surprised, there’s no question they’ve had a falling out and he’s making a statement.
I think he’s making a statement to the players as well, ‘This is my team, this is how we do it, I don’t care what the name on the back of your jersey is – this is how we’re going about it.’
To be fair, the Arsenal players seem to have said, ‘OK, that’s fine with us.’ They’re putting it in. The only way this changes is Ozil leaves.
With every passing week it looks as though Ozil’s Arsenal career is over, potentially bringing an end to five up-and-down years in north London.
