Arsenal must get midfielder Mesut Ozil involved in the first team again and keeping him sidelined is a \u201cwaste\u201d of the playmaker\u2019s creativity, the club\u2019s former manager Arsene Wenger has said.<\/p>\n
Ozil played all Premier League matches under Mikel Arteta before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the 31-year-old has not played a single minute for Arsenal since the 2019-20 season restarted in June.<\/p>\n
However, Ozil had vowed to stay at the club until the end of his contract in 2021 despite being dropped from the squad. He was also omitted from Arsenal\u2019s Europa League squad for the group stage this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s in the years where a player of his talent can produce the most,\u201d Wenger told the BBC. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a waste for the club as well because he\u2019s a super talent, a creative talent that in the final third can create that killer pass.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way football is going at the moment it\u2019s quick counter-pressing, quick transitions and everybody plays the same. It\u2019s kicked out players like Ozil. Although let\u2019s not forget who this guy is, a world champion who has played at Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been the record player of assists, so you have to find a way to get him involved again.<\/p>\n
Wenger also said Arsenal were in good hands under Arteta, who was appointed after the departure of Unai Emery last season with the London side staring at the prospect of a season without European football.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has the ingredients to be a very good manager, a top manager,\u201d Wenger added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to give them time, let them do their job in the way they want to do it. He\u2019s intelligent, he has big passion and a strong character. And I believe he\u2019s surrounding himself with the right people.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"