Former Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski has criticised the club and coach Mikel Arteta for their treatment of out-of-favour midfielder Mesut Ozil.
Ozil, 32, has not made a senior appearance for Arsenal since March and has been left out of the squad for the Premier League and Europa League this season.
The midfielder made headlines for his refusal to accept a pay cut during the coronavirus crisis before publicly offering to pay the wages of the club’s mascot after he was reportedly made redundant.
Mikel Arteta said at the end of October that he “tried to give him as many opportunities” to Ozil to win back his place in the squad, but Podolski says his former team-mate has been treated unfairly.
“I don’t know the background, but I generally think with a player who is now in his sixth or seventh year with the club, to kick him completely out of the squad… that’s absolutely not okay,” he told Bild .
“You don’t do something like that, and I don’t know if something happened in the background or not but even if he’s done something, you don’t do it.
“He’s shown his class on the pitch, he’s never been negative towards his colleagues or the club. It’s sad because everyone’s losing in this situation. It should not end this way. Arsenal as a club have not looked positive in this situation over the last months.”
