Arsenal

Mikel Arteta hits back at Mesut Ozil's agent

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 27 October 2020

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hits back at claims of dishonesty by Mesut Ozil's agent after the German was left out of Arteta's Premier League and Europa League squads.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended his decision to leave Mesut Ozil out of his Premier League and Europa League squads following a scathing attack by the playmaker's agent Dr Erkut Sogut.

The 32-year-old may have played his final game in an Arsenal shirt following the omissions, with Ozil yet to take to the field since March, before the coronavirus shutdown.

Sogut accused Arteta of not being entirely truthful about the situation regarding Ozil, but the Gunners manager has since hit back at the claims.

Speaking to reporters, Arteta said: "If you have to lead, they have to trust you. In order for them to trust you, you have to be honest.

"You have to be clear and you have to be able to tell people, face to face, the good and bad news. Then you have to be consistent in what you say, the demands you put in and what you apply.

"When things happen, you applaud them and then when they don't, there are consequences. Then you create a culture and within that culture people have to be accountable.

"People have to step up and they have to demand the standards we need of each other from this football club in order to be successful."

Ozil is under contract at the Emirates Stadium until 2021 and has made no secret of his desire to stay in the capital for the remainder of his deal.