Adams makes laughable Arsenal claim over Ozil and Wilshere

Arsenal ‘insulted’ Jack Wilshere by spending a club-record £42.5million on Mesut Ozil in 2013, according to former captain Tony Adams.

The Gunners broke their transfer record – a figure that still stands to this day – when they swooped to bring Germany playmaker Ozil to the club from Real Madrid.

Despite his detractors this season, Ozil has largely proved a big success at Arsenal – but Adams believes his arrival was the start of the end for Wilshere.

The England midfielder spent this season on loan at Bournemouth and the once-lauded player looks likely to leave the club this summer.

And Adams believes Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger ‘got it wrong’ by signing Ozil.

“It was an insult to buy Mesut Ozil when we’ve got Jack Wilshere there, who is every bit as good,” Adams told Standard Sport.

“If I’d been Jack I’d have knocked on Arsene’s door and said ‘why the hell are you spending £40m on this player when I can do it just as well’.

“A lot of fans have questioned Ozil and his desire to win. When you’ve got a player and you’re giving them lots of money they have to contribute.”

It’s not the first time Adams has had cross words with Wenger, with the club’s legendary defender also questioning the Frenchman’s decision to stay on and that their ‘weak squad’ was the long-serving manager’s fault.