Arsenal great suggests key player could force club to sack Emery

Unai Emery TEAMtalk

Mesut Ozil could force Arsenal to sack Unai Emery if the pair don’t resolve their differences, according to former Gunners star Ray Parlour.

A dressing room rift with Neymar cost Emery his job at PSG, and Parlour – who made more than 400 appearances for Arsenal between 1992 and 2004 – believes that a similar scenario could play out with Ozil at the Emirates Stadium.

Despite his ability, 2014 World Cup winning midfielder Ozil has seen his gametime limited under Emery, starting just half of Arsenal’s Premier League matches this season.

Parlour said: “It’s been a little bit like PSG with Neymar. Neymar ended up getting Emery the sack.

“He lost the dressing room and Neymar was pulling the strings there. Maybe it could be the same at Arsenal.”

If Emery stays at Arsenal, then Parlour can see Ozil leaving instead – but pointed to a potential problem with regards to a departure.

“It looks like that could happen.

“I go back to the dilemma of what Arsenal have got. He’s on £350,000-a-week. Who is going to pay that sort of money?

“There’s got to be a time in your career, when you’re over 30 you know you’re on a slippery slope. You have to come to a decision.

“He could stick his heels in and sit out his contract, and say ‘play me when you want’. The players hold all the power.

“When you’re left out you want a reaction from the player – especially from training. Show the attitude you want to get back into the team somehow.

“I don’t know what he’s been like in training.”

Ozil is under contract at Arsenal until 2021, by which time he will be 32 years old.

 

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