Arsenal’s fortunes dip further as the Gunners fell to another Premier League defeat, losing 2-1 to Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.
With the pressure piling up on him to recall estranged World Cup Winner and former Real Madrid star, Mesut Ozil, observers are concerned that such a move could ruin Arteta’s credibility within the Arsenal squad. That’s the view of Graeme Souness, who believes bringing the German back on his ‘own terms’ is not a good policy.
World Cup winner Ozil, the highest paid player at the club – has been relegated to the role of spectator this season, with Arteta having deemed him surplus to requirements and opting to leave him out of his Premier League and Europa League squads.
The player himself has been consistently clamoring to return to the fold, with his contract at the Emirates expiring at the end of the season. Arsenal’s defeat to Everton on Saturday is heaping more pressure, not only on Arteta’s job prospects, but also to bring back the playmaker in January.
The Spaniard has the opportunity to name Ozil in his squads for the second half of the season, with Souness claiming that Arsenal bosses will be scrutinizing the situation closely.
“If you bring him back now, he’s coming back on his terms,” Souness told Sky Sports.
“He’s got a big decision and you can bet he’ll run that by the directors, ‘look we’re paying him whatever we’re paying him, I’m going to park him up’.
“As long he’s sitting there out of the team doing nothing his value is going down and you’re still paying big money.
“So you’ve got a diminishing asset. They’ve obviously given the green light to do that, putting trust in their manager.
“Yeah they will be looking at that situation without a shadow of a doubt. People will be questioning that decision now.”
Arsenal are now hovering preciously just four points ahead of Burnley, who currently occupy the final spot in the relegation zone, the Clarets having played two games less.
With the increased scrutiny over his job, Souness believes Arteta recalling Ozil to the squad could impugn his credibility amongst his players even more.
“Do they bring him back? It takes some real man management to comeback,” he added.
“This is a guy who’s involved in his very first job in management. This would be a difficult job for an experienced manager.
“He’s got it all on to try and manage that and come out of it with his face.
“I’m not sure. The player coming back on his terms is never good.
“I think it diminishes his [Arteta’s] credibility with some of the players in the dressing room. They could use that against him.”