LONDON: Mesut Ozil has been left out of Arsenal's Premier League squad to cast even further doubt on whether he will play for the club again. The 32-year-old is the highest-paid player in Arsenal's history on a reported EUR 350,000 (USD 450,000) a week, but has also been omitted from the Gunners' Europa League squad.
Ozil has not played a single minute for Mikel Arteta's side since March 7. Alongside Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos - also left out of both squads - Ozil will only be able to represent Arsenal Under-23s until 2021 at the earliest. Ozil's contract expires at the end of the season.
Earlier this month he stepped in to offer to pay the salary of Arsenal's popular mascot Gunnersaurus after Jerry Quy, who has played the role of the dinosaur since 1993, was let go by the club with stadiums empty during the coronavirus crisis.
Ozil expressed his unhappiness at being left out of the squad for this season, saying that on Wednesday his loyalty to the club has not been reciprocated. The former Germany playmaker published a statement on his social media accounts, saying he was "really deeply disappointed."
“Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal and it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated. As I have just found out, loyalty is hard to come by nowadays. I’ve always tried to remain positive from week to week that there’s maybe a chance to get back in the squad soon again. That’s why I kept silent so far," Ozil added.
(Wih inputs from AP and AFP)