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Tag: Mikel Arteta

  • Mesut Ozil agent hits back at Arteta

    Mesut Ozil agent hits back at Arteta

    The agent of Mesut Ozil has accused Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta of lacking loyalty.

    Ozil’s agent Erkut Sogut says the manager has treated the midfielder unfairly and has not been honest about his decision to freeze him out of Arsenal’s Europa League and Premier League squads.

    He said: “Arsenal fans deserve an honest explanation, not [Arteta] saying ‘I failed Ozil’. You didn’t fail Ozil: you failed to be fair, honest and transparent and treat someone with respect who has a contract and was loyal all the time.

    “Every single person outside knows he hasn’t treated him fairly. He didn’t give him a chance to show himself this season. If he is still under contract, the player should have the option to stay and fight for his place. Mesut hasn’t been given that. Why would you put a player on the bench twice for 90 minutes [against Brighton and Crystal Palace in June] if he wasn’t fit or committed?

    “Everyone says he’s training well. Per Mertesacker said this publicly. I spoke with at least five team-mates who say he is training great. They say Mesut is one of their best players, and they cannot understand why he is left out. So it can’t be the training – if it is not the pitch, what are the footballing reasons? If you talk, you should tell the truth that the Arsenal fans deserve otherwise don’t talk at all.”

    Sogut contrasted Arteta’s treatment of Ozil with the way he was looked after by Arsene Wenger during his time at the Emirates, highlighting how the Spaniard didn’t start a single Premier League game in his final season.

    “He [Arteta] started zero games in the Premier League in his last season,” said Sogut.

    “He wasn’t there in the last six months at all, busy doing his coaching badges and meeting coaches for his future. Mesut plays for one English team and that’s it because he feels he can only play for that team. He is a Gunner in the end.

    “Mesut is not a player who is yesterday a Toffee and today a Gunner. Arteta didn’t play at all in the final two years, but they still registered him because he was given a contract. Arsene Wenger put him on the field for the final two minutes of his last game just to give him a nice moment, even though he wasn’t fit for months. Look at how [Arteta] was treated in his final two years, and how Mesut is getting treated in his final year.”

  • Arsenal still hope to seal late transfer deals – Arteta

    Arsenal still hope to seal late transfer deals – Arteta

    Arsenal are set to make some key decisions before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday.

    Arteta said this was to ensure the squad has the right balance for the rest of the season.

    There had been reports that Arsenal have been in talks to sign highly-rated midfielder Houssem Aouar from Olympique Lyonnais.

    Also, Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira is set for a potential exit.

    Arteta refused to comment on individual transfers but said he was confident in the club’s plans.

    He added that he had “full support from the owners” amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has also affected transfer business.

    “I think it’s a crucial moment because in the end it defines the people, the players, the balance and the quality that you’re going to have for the rest of the season,” Arteta told reporters ahead of Sunday’s league match against Sheffield United.

    “We need to make some decisions in the next three days, I think everything has been delayed so much, not just us but probably every team because of the context that we’re in at the moment.

    “We will try to make the best possible decisions and at the end, whatever we have, we go for it fully convinced and prepared to have a good season.”

    Arsenal, fifth in the table, failed to beat Sheffield United in the league last season and the Blades sit 19th after three games following three defeats.

    The Spaniard praised Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder for the club’s playing style.

    He said he expects a difficult encounter against the Blades at the Emirates, where Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 10 league games.

    “I watched Sheffield United’s games already and they deserved much more from those games. The way they played is tricky. So, I’m expecting a really difficult game,” Arteta said.

    “The margins in the league of winning, drawing and losing are really small and the details are crucial, but they have generated big chances every game.

    “They’ve been really unlucky not to get anything out of those games.”

  • EPL: Arsenal to make Aubameyang best paid

    EPL: Arsenal to make Aubameyang best paid

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ready to put pen to paper on a new Arsenal contract.

    The Athletic reports the striker has finally committed his future and an announcement is imminent.

    It is also claimed that Aubameyang is set for a mammoth pay rise on his current £200,000-a-week deal, which was due to expire next summer, to take him to the top of Arsenal’s wage list.

    It is understood that Aubameyang’s deal is worth more than Mesut Ozil’s £350,000-a-week agreement, with the striker extending his stay with the Premier League giants until 2023.

    The influence of Gunners manager Mikel Arteta as well as Aubameyang’s father was significant in persuading the striker to commit, it is claimed.

    Last month, the boss admitted his star man was on the brink of penning a new deal.

    Arteta said: “I keep being positive, we have some really good talks with him and his agent. I am pretty confident we’re going to find an agreement soon. That’s my feeling again.

    “Absolutely. And for him as well, I think. I think he should be very happy if he is able to stay at the club for a long time.”

  • Arteta calls Rakitic directly to detail Arsenal plans

    Arteta calls Rakitic directly to detail Arsenal plans

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made a move for Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic.

    The Croatia international, 32, has been weighing up his options at the Nou Camp, though is refusing to simply be offloaded by the Catalans. Rakitic has refused to be part of swap proposals involving PSG and Inter Milan over the last six months.

    However, he could yet choose to leave this summer and while he favours a return to Sevilla, contact with Arteta has turned his head.

    Mundo Deportivo says Arteta has called Rakitic directly to declare his interest and set out his plans for him within Arsenal’s system.

    The Basque rates Rakitic highly and believes his experience in the middle of midfield is just what his FA Cup winners require next season.

    For their part, Barca won’t stand in Rakitic’s way should he choose to leave.

  • Arteta admits Ozil may not play again

    Arteta admits Ozil may not play again

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Mesut Ozil may not play again this season.

    While acknowledging the midfielder is fully fit and training with the squad, Arteta offered little encouragement over the prospect making his squad.

    “Mesut is ready and is training with the team, but I can’t say yet if he will play this season,” said Arteta.

    “At the moment, the situation remains the same. Let’s see if any changes come.”

    The Gunners host new champions Liverpool tonight.

  • EPL: Mikel Arteta blasts Guendouzi

    EPL: Mikel Arteta blasts Guendouzi

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Matteo Guendouzi hasn’t done enough to warrant a recall after he was again left out for victory over Norwich City.

    The 21-year-old midfielder was left out of Arsenal’s 20-man squad for the third consecutive matchday on Wednesday, and had been forced to watch on from the sidelines as the north London side eased beyond Norwich.

    Arteta has fired another warning shot at Guendouzi, urging him to make the necessary changes to avoid continuing to be frozen out of the first-team set-up.

    When asked about his decision to leave the French international out entirely once more, Arteta replied: “It is the same reasons as last week.

    “Some things have to change and nothing has changed.”

  • Arteta calls Thiago Silva directly about Arsenal move

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has spoken directly with departing PSG captain Thiago Silva about a move to London.

    It’s been confirmed by PSG that Thiago Silva will leave the club at the end of the season – he is currently finalising a short-term deal to cover the French Cup final and remainder of the Champions League.

    Thiago Silva is a target for Everton, where his former PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti is keen. However, Arteta has jumped into the battle – thanks to David Luiz.

    Luiz is urging Arteta to move for his Brazil teammate.

    And Le 10 Sport says Luiz passed on Thiago Silva’s number to Arteta, who has since called the veteran defender to discuss a potential move to Arsenal.

  • EPL: Why Ozil was left out of City clash – Arteta

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has explained briefly why Mesut Ozil was left out of Wednesday’s squad to face Manchester City.

    The Gunners were blown away by Pep Guardiola’s side, eventually losing 3-0 at the Etihad.

    One notable absentee was the club’s highest paid player in Ozil, who didn’t even make the match-day squad.

    Asked after the match about the decision, Arteta said: “It was a tactical reason.”

    This will only fuel speculation that Ozil will be sold this summer, with Fenerbahce reportedly hopeful of securing his signature.

  • EPL: Arsenal boss Arteta responds to Aubameyang

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has responded to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s latest contract comments.

    Aubameyang, with a year to run on his current deal, is still no closer to making a decision on his future. And over the weekend, he challenged Arsenal to convince him to stay.

    Yet despite pressure on Arsenal from Aubameyang, Arteta is adamant he does not have to convince anyone to stay at the club.

    “We have a very clear plan of what we want to do from now on,” the Arsenal boss told Premier League Productions.

    “The players know where the club is standing and we are moving in the right direction.”

    However, Arteta admits reaching the Champions League places could be key to keeping his captain.

    “Financially for the club the fact that in the last three years we haven’t had any Champions League it puts the club in a very difficult position,” Arteta added.

    “We have a structure that is designed to be in the Champions League so when we don’t have that financially it creates a lot of issues and instability. But that’s the situation we are facing.

    “We have ten games to go, we have to go full gas and get as high as possible in the table.”

  • EPL: Arteta missing as Arsenal players resume training

    Arsenal head coach, Mikel Arteta, was missing as the first team resumed training at London Colney on Monday, the UK Metro reports.

    A ‘majority’ of the squad trained at the club’s Hertfordshire base, after the club decided that it was safe to open up their large training base.

    However, the Gunners enforced strict rules for all players, with each individual having their own ball and parking spot, to reduce contact.

    The players were also given designated times to arrive and arrived in groups of five, to stem the flow of players through the door.

    The gym, canteen and indoor training centre remained closed.

    Arteta and his first-team staff were not present at training, choosing instead to remain at home.

    The Spaniard tested positive to Coronavirus in March, but has since recovered.