Mesut Ozil was named as part of Unai Emery’s captaincy group despite making just one Premier League appearance for the Gunners all season.
Mesut Ozil has barely been given a look in under Unai Emery so few expected that he would be named as one of the Spaniard’s captains at Arsenal. According to the Sun (1 October, page 55), the Gunners squad has been left baffled by the German’s inclusion in the so-called ‘leadership group’.
Ozil has featured just once in the Premier League this season and, despite impressing during that 2-2 draw with Watford, he was left out of the matchday squad altogether when Arsenal took on Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night.
Despite falling well down the pecking order, and despite the Sun claiming that Arsenal ‘bitterly regret’ the decision to hand him a new deal until 2021 worth £350,000 a week, the former Germany international was named in Emery’s five-man captaincy group.
Arsenal’s players voted for their captains in a secret ballot but, according to the Sun, there are some in the dressing room who think the ballot results were altered to ensure Ozil finished near the top.
Apparently, there is a belief that the one-time Real Madrid star was only handed a vice-captain role to avoid further controversy and another fall-out with Emery behind the scenes.
This is starting to feel like a marriage destined to end in a very messy divorce.
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