Mesut Ozil did not play a single game for Arsenal following the Premier League restart.
There were several reasons and theories as to why he did not make an appearance after the coronavirus disruptions including a back injury and tactical decisions made by head coach Mikel Arteta.
Ozil does, however, have another 12 months remaining on his contract which leaves the question whether he will play next season.
READ: The Secret Life Of Arsenal Star Mesut Ozil
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith revealed that he does not thinks Ozil will play for the club again.
The former Arsenal striker told Sky Sports: “It seems that Arteta wants to draw a line under it, and convince the players he’s not part of the plans. He’s passed the buck to Ozil and said: ‘What do you want to do about it?’
“Hopefully he leaves the club would be Arteta’s reasoning. That would free up a bit of money in terms of his wages.
“It’s always going to be a talking point for as long as Ozil’s at the club. I don’t know whether anything could happen in this transfer window, there aren’t too many links with any clubs. We might end up having this situation for another year until his contract runs out. He might get used now and again, but he won’t be a core figure in his plans.
“It’s something Arteta could have done without. He’s got enough on his plate, without constant questions about the German’s future. But Arteta is decisive; if he decides somebody doesn’t fit in going forward, no matter how much they’re earning, he’s not going to pick them. That’s strong management, and I think Arsenal need that.
“Can he fit in at Arsenal? No, I don’t think so. This is an era at the club where everybody has to really dig in and work incredibly hard off the ball. Ozil is too long in the tooth to change his game now, and I don’t think physically he is capable of doing what Arteta wants him to do, either.
“It might be another year before he leaves the club, but I can’t see much of a future there for him.”
It could end up being a very expensive decision not to play Ozil as he is the highest-paid player in the squad earning £350,000-a-week.
With the drop in revenues following coronavirus the financial impact could be felt even more if Ozil were to be paid without playing for the team.
Ozil has been an Arsenal player since 2013 when he joined from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
