Well, Don Hutchison is firmly against the idea of Mesut Ozil ever playing another game for Arsenal.
Even when he isn’t in the team, the former Germany international continues to make headlines.
Arsenal left the 32-year-old playmaker out of their revised Premier League squad this week, prompting a fierce statement from the player who claimed that he was ‘deeply disappointed’ over Mikel Arteta’s decision to leave him out – and complained that his ‘loyalty’ toward the Emirates Stadium side hadn’t been ‘reciprocated’.
Ozil fired off a number of supportive mid-match tweets during the Gunners’ win over Rapid Vienna on Thursday, having also been left out of the Europa League squad.
With his contract up next summer, it’s entirely possible that the former Real Madrid star will never kick another ball for Arsenal.
And Hutchison does not think he should, claiming that Ozil shouldn’t be ‘anywhere near’ a squad that have been ‘carrying’ him for years.
He told ESPN: “I don’t think you have Ozil anywhere near the squad. Mikel Arteta is building something special. He has four of five young kids who are outstanding.
“Why on earth would you bring Mesut Ozil back into the squad and have to carry him as a passenger? Arsenal have been carrying Mesut Ozil for four or five years.”
Is Hutchison right? Well, Ozil only has four Premier League assists since Arsene Wenger left the club in 2018, which illustrates that he simply hasn’t been good enough.
Even if Arteta were to bring him back, he would slip back into old, frustrating habits before long and perhaps this is the right move.
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