Arsenal and Mesut Ozil: Let him go for free?

Mesut Ozil is sitting on the bench earning £350,000-a-week? If Arsenal had to, should they be willing to let him go for free in the summer?

Whatever you think about Mesut Ozil, whether you love his languid, lackadaisical, liquid smooth style or you loathe his laziness and lack of commitment, it is clear that Unai Emery does not see a future for him at Arsenal as long as he is in charge, which will longer than for when Ozil is in his prime.

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Emery wants to play with a high-intensity midfield, one that is capable of both out-passing and out-running the opponent. Ozil can only do one. His presence in the number 10 position is troubling for a team that plays on the front foot, pressing high up pitch, individually and collectively covering lots of ground.

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Ozil does not suit that style of play. It has been made evident this season. And Emery has not been afraid to drop him as a result. That has left a £350,000-a-week drain sitting on the bench. When the club is already stretching the wage budget, that is never an efficient way of spending resources. And so, as Emery comes to reshape this squad as he wants to, it is reasonable to question whether Ozil will be a part of it.

If Arsenal were to sell Ozil, then it would make sense to do so as quickly as possible. Not only would they get his eye-watering wages off the books, but given his age, his value will only depreciate with every window that passes. That means that selling him this summer is a very real possibility indeed.

The problem with trying to sell him, however, is the same as the reason for selling him in the first place: his wages. What team is happy to pay £350,000-a-week to a perceived lazy player who is entering his 30s and has little if no resale value? Arsenal may be forced to sell to clubs outside of Europe. In that case, Ozil might well just flat-out refuse to leave.

His wage will drive the price down drastically, far below the £42 million that the Gunners paid to sign him five-and-a-half years ago. They would do well to get £30 million for him, despite his World Cup-winning pedigree and undeniable ability. The wages that are a problem to Arsenal now will also be a problem in the summer.

It leads me to ask: Would it be worth allowing Ozil to leave on a free simply to ship his wages out the door? It may sound drastic, but if no club is willing to pay for the German, then perhaps it would be better to get rid any way possible simply to alleviate the wage pressure. That £350,000-a-week could be spent in far better ways than on a player who will be sat on the bench.

This is not a comment on Ozil’s actual worth. This is a comment on how Emery views him and how Arsenal should act as a result of that. Emery clearly does not want him and will not use him. Selling, therefore, becomes necessary. But what if a sale is not possible? Perhaps a free transfer isn’t the worst compromise in the world.