Mesut Ozil: Mikel Arteta is not sure if the Arsenal midfielder will return to the team when the transfer window opens | Football news

Mikel Arteta says he is not sure whether Mesut Ozil will return to the Arsenal team in January, but has suggested that the club will not seek to interrupt the contracts of players who are not in its plans.

Ozil and Sokratis Papastathopoulos were not registered by the Gunners during the first half of the Premier League season and have not yet been included in a team of the day in any competition.

William Saliba, who joined Arsenal from Saint-Etienne for around £ 27 million in July 2019, has also been unable to appear in the first team, and Arteta says he expects fringe players to leave in the transfer window of this month.

But when it was suggested that Arsenal could terminate the contracts of players like Ozil and Sokratis, which expire at the end of the season, Arteta said: “You have to respect the player’s contracts.

“What you can do is try to be open with them, tell them your intentions, the role they have on the team and why. They have the right to make the decision in their lives because they have a contract here.

“Some would like to move because they are not playing and others would like to stay. That is something we cannot decide for ourselves.”

When asked if Ozil, who makes around £ 350,000 a week and has made it clear that he wants to end his contract at Arsenal, could make a surprise return to his team in January, Arteta replied: “We’ll see what happens in the window of transfer and we’ll evaluate at the end of that. “

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Despite stating that he believes that the decisions he has made are in the best interests of the team, Arteta accepts that being denied the opportunity to go out on the field comes at a mental cost for the players.

“When a player does not play, it is very difficult to be happy,” he said. “The profession is playing soccer. When they are sitting on the bench, they are supporting the team but they are not doing what they love in this life.”

“At the end of the day, you have to find minutes for everyone, but you also need some consistency in your lineups. When we have four competitions it is much easier, it is healthier.

“There is another factor, that we have a great squad this season. There are players who do not play at all. There are players, even in the squad, they know they won’t have any chance.

“That is mentally difficult for them, to keep that motivation and positivity in place for many months. That is a great task.”

Arteta delighted with the impact of Smith Rowe

Arteta has spoken of the quality of Emile Smith Rowe and has admitted that the revival of the midfielder has been timely for Arsenal.

A shoulder injury caused the 20-year-old to wait patiently for his opportunity this season and he even appeared for the Gunners under-21 team at the EFL Trophy in November before being called up to play for the senior team.

With poor results during December, Arteta turned to the academy graduate for the Boxing Day visit to Chelsea and was rewarded with a solid performance in a 3-1 win, which was backed up three days later in Brighton with a second good showing at another victory. .

The consecutive starts were just Smith Rowe’s second and third in the Premier League and, before a potential fourth on Saturday at West Brom, he has been praised by his coach.

Arteta said: “He’s a player that I really liked from the first day I saw him. Just the way he moves, how smart he is with the positions he takes and his pace of work, don’t underestimate him.

“He works very hard for the team and had a very serious injury this year and has not really trained with us at all.

“During the last two weeks he has been much more involved and you see what he can bring to the team. I am delighted to have a young player with his talent and in that position. It was something we needed.”

January Transfer Window: Arsenal Assessed

Arsenal’s priority is a creative attacking midfielder, although they face the challenge of attracting one in this window.

The Gunners have been linked to a signing by Isco from Real Madrid on loan for the remainder of the season.

But there is also a focus on exits, with Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac two players likely to be able to come out. Sky Sports News He has also previously reported that William Saliba, who has yet to appear with the first team, could also go on loan. And what’s next for Mesut Ozil? He remains in disgrace, but has remained adamant that he will see the rest of his contract.