Arsenal: Is Mesut Ozil serious or is this a ruse?

Mesut Ozil is reportedly not willing to discuss signing a new Arsenal contract until he has guarantees that he can wear the number 10 shirt. Is he serious, or is this a ruse?

The contract controversy surrounding Mesut Ozil and his uncertain and undecided Arsenal future is going to run and run and run. That much was clear as soon as transfer deadline day passed and he still found himself plying his trade at the Emirates, whether he wanted to be or not.

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The German, along with Alexis Sanchez, who is in an eerily similar situation, which only further highlights the unsolicited and undesirable management of the squad by Arsene Wenger and others, holds all the power. Given that he can leave North London for absolutely nothing next summer, he can dictate the terms that he wants. And if Arsenal want to keep him, there is only one thing they can do. Match them.

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If Ozil wants £300,000-a-week, then to keep him, that will have to be offered. If Ozil wants to see investment put into the squad around, then that will have to be the case. If he wants a new house, then one will have to be bought for him. If he wants a dog, then he will have to be given one. Ridiculous, yes. But indicative of the vice that Arsenal are in.

That is why the ridiculous reports that Ozil is unwilling to enter into contract discussions without guarantees that he will be given the number 10 shirt, which is currently occupied by Jack Wilshere after his return from a year-long loan spell at Bournemouth, while utterly stupid, are nonetheless significant and important.

Now, there is a part of me that wants to doubt the validity of the rumours. And perhaps this is all a ruse. How valuable can the number on the back of a shirt be, to a professional footballer? But if I accept the truthfulness of it, actually, given Ozil’s tantrums, his selfish, public persona, and the sense of self-superiority that exudes out of him, I am not all that surprised.

The reports claim that Ozil wants the number 10 shirt as a part of building his brand. Apparently, he sees the number as a better way to sell himself to the general public, very much like Cristiano Ronaldo and CR7, or Tom Brady and TB12. But the audacity to demand it before entering into contract talks? That is downright disrespectful, to his teammates, to Wenger, and to the club.

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This may all be a made-up story. The more fanatical side of the media has been known to divulge details about less accurate goings-on. But if true, it shows the ridiculousness of Ozil to make such an unpertainable request. I can’t quite believe that he’s serious.