Arsenal: Mesut Ozil Heir Must Be Identified

Arsenal are struggling with the contract situation of both Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. As such, it is imperative to identify heirs sooner rather than later.

Mesut Ozil was kind of a big signing for Arsenal. It signified the end of those horrid years where big signings were nonexistent and big sales were an everyday concern. Still a club record signing, Ozil signified that times, they were a-changing.

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It may have taken him 18 months to truly acclimate, but now that he has, the results are magnificent. He loves it here, he has a cult following and he could solidify himself as a legend if he remains in North London. Which, according to his agent, isn’t the most likely thing.

Still, even Wenger admits that Ozil wants to stay. It’s just a matter of money.

Which raises some red flags. Will Arsenal fork up the big dough to keep their prized signing ticking? It’s a question that is so dicey that we need to be prepared for either answer.

If he stays, perfect. We are good to go. But if he decides to leave, we must be prepared. There cannot be a huge vacuum at the No. 10 role while Wenger frantically searches for a new Ozil and doesn’t find one until 2021. This cannot be Cesc Fabregas V2.

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Hopefully, Wengeris actively searching for candidates now. If he has faith in someone in the club, maybe Jeff Reine-Adelaide or Gedion Zelalem, then I trust Le Prof, but there is a high probability that these guys need more time. We can’t wait until the last week of the summer transfer window to decide this, like we did with Shkodran Mustafi. I still think back to that Liverpool match and how poorly prepared we are.

Finding someone that can fill that void as seamlessly as possible is crucial. Obviously it won’t be perfect. This is Mesut Ozil we are talking about, but intent goes a long way. If we lose Ozil and land Isco the next day, I don’t think there could be that many complaints. It’s making the best of a bad situation. One star departs, another potential star arrives. It’s part of the game.

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Our attachment to Ozil is going to be tough to replicate for anyone, but again, it’s all in the intent. Wenger can’t let the situation spiral out of control by expecting Ramsey or Wilshere to fill the void. Options are necessary. An heir must be had.