[ad_1]
Petr Cech has been inducted into Chelsea’s 25-player Premier League squad as an emergency goalkeeper, but there is no place in the Arsenal squad for Mesut Özil.
Cech, who is now a technical advisor at Stamford Bridge, is one of four goalkeepers included in Frank Lampard’s team despite retiring from football last year. Cech’s last game was against Chelsea in the Europa League final in which Arsenal lost 4-1 in Baku, but he has also been playing in goal for the Guildford Phoenix ice hockey team.
“Petr Cech has been included in the team as an emergency goalkeeper,” Chelsea said in a statement Tuesday. “This is a precautionary step due to the unprecedented conditions currently caused by the Covid-19 crisis. He assumes a position as a player without a contract ”.
Meanwhile, Özil’s omission from the Arsenal team has cast even more doubts about his future at the club. The 32-year-old is the highest paid player in Arsenal history, but has now been omitted from both the Premier League and the Europa League.
Özil has not played a single minute for Arsenal since March 7, having initially been a mainstay of the team following the appointment of Mikel Arteta last year. Germany’s World Cup winner has been available this season so far, but Premier League clubs had to name a 25-player squad after the domestic and international transfer windows closed.
Along with Greek defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, also excluded from both teams, Özil will only be able to represent Arsenal Under-23 until 2021 at the earliest, as his contract at the Emirates Stadium expires next summer.
