• Mesut Ozil with other Arsenal substitutes during the Premier League match at Southampton on June 25, 2020. Getty
    Mesut Ozil with other Arsenal substitutes during the Premier League match at Southampton on June 25, 2020. Getty
  • Mesut Ozil is challenged by West Ham's Angelo Ogbonna during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium on March 7, 2020, his last appearance. AFP
    Mesut Ozil is challenged by West Ham's Angelo Ogbonna during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium on March 7, 2020, his last appearance. AFP
  • Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil being chased by Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips during the FA Cup third round match at the Emirates Stadium on January 6, 2020. AFP
    Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil being chased by Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips during the FA Cup third round match at the Emirates Stadium on January 6, 2020. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil after his team went 1-0 down in the Premier League match at home to Manchester City on December 15, 2019. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil after his team went 1-0 down in the Premier League match at home to Manchester City on December 15, 2019. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil during the Premier League match at home to Southampton on November 23, 2019. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil during the Premier League match at home to Southampton on November 23, 2019. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil skips past Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil skips past Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil is closed down by Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic during the Premier League match at home to Manchester United on January 1, 2020. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil is closed down by Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic during the Premier League match at home to Manchester United on January 1, 2020. AFP
  • Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mesut Ozil. AFP
    Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mesut Ozil. AFP
  • Manchester United striker Anthony Martial under pressure from Mesut Ozil. AFP
    Manchester United striker Anthony Martial under pressure from Mesut Ozil. AFP

Distraught Mesut Ozil questions Arsenal loyalty after squad exile


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Mesut Ozil is "deeply disappointed" to be axed from Arsenal's Premier League squad and insists his loyalty to the club has not been reciprocated.

The 32-year-old is the highest-paid player in Arsenal's history but has now been omitted from both the Premier League and Europa League squads.

Ozil has not played a single minute for the Gunners since March 7, having initially been a mainstay of the team following Mikel Arteta's appointment last year.

"This is a difficult message to write to the Arsenal fans that I've played for over the past few years," he wrote in a statement posted on social media.

"I'm really deeply disappointed by the fact that I have not been registered for the Premier League season for the time being."

Former Germany international Ozil went on to question Arsenal's loyalty.

He signed his current deal, which expires next year, in January 2018 - the same time Alexis Sanchez departed for Manchester United.

"Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal, and it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated," he added.

"As I have just found out, loyalty is hard to come by nowadays. I've always tried to remain positive from week to week that there's maybe a chance to get back in the squad soon again. That's why I kept silent so far."

Before the Covid-19 outbreak caused the season to be halted, Ozil had started every Premier League game since Arteta's appointment as coach in December.

He has not been included a matchday squad since and - alongside Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos who was also left out of both squads - Ozil will only be able to represent Arsenal Under-23s until 2021 at the earliest.

"Before the Coronavirus break I was really happy with the development under our new coach Mikel Arteta - we've been on a positive way and I would say my performances were on a really good level," the statement continued.

"But then things changed, again, and I was not longer (sic) allowed to play football for Arsenal."