German playmaker Mesut Ozil continues to train despite his outcast status at Arsenal, and he is reportedly making good impressions. A coaching staff for the Gunners was reportedly amazed by the skills displayed by Ozil that he was lauded as "special."
Arsenal first-team coach Pablo Villanueva was seen in a video clip training with a group of Gunners that included Ozil and the latter caught the eye of Villanueva. The German flashed his trademark goal-scoring routines and elicited wows, Metro reported.
Nonetheless, it will be remote that Villanueva's positive assessment on Ozil will make a dent in Arsenal boss Unai Emery, who continues to leave out the former Real Madrid midfielder from the Gunners squad. As noted by the same report, Ozil was only seen in two games in the ongoing season.
Emery has ruled him out in the last five matches of Arsenal and the likelihood is the trend will only continue.
Instead of fielding the club's highest-paid player, Emery opted to try out alternatives for the No. 10 role, which delivered mixed results.
According to the Spanish team manager, the decision to set aside Ozil is part of his game strategy, adding his plan was approved by the club board. He further indicated that the playmaker is out of the Gunners' first-team because he's not deserving of a spot.
The team boss likewise made clear that there is no pressure from Arsenal executives to reconsider his position on the benched Ozil.
"Here we have one agreed strategy as a club and a team. Because the most important thing is the club, the team and finding a performance. Previously we were all speaking between us to take that decision. I know all the supporters want to know something [more] but now is not the moment," Bleacher Report quoted Emery as saying.
With Arsenal continue to overlook him, speculations are rife that the German is looking elsewhere for a more favorable playing condition. There were talks he could end up in a Turkish club but a possibility of playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) is also in the table.
Bleacher Report said Ozil could prove tempting for the struggling Manchester United, which obviously will get be boosted by the German's scoring prowess. Such a scenario was suggested by former Reds midfielder Paul Scholes, the report said.
Still, Ozil remains optimistic that his situation in Arsenal will change for the better. The German has indicated he intends to stay with Arsenal through the end of his contract, which will expire in 2021.
