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Mesut Ozil’s mammoth £350k-a-week contract is ‘the stupidest mistake Arsenal have made’ in the last 10 years, claims Georgie Bingham



Arsenal’s decision to reward Mesut Ozil with a lucrative contract in 2018 ‘is the stupidest mistake’ the club have made in the last decade.


That’s according to Weekend Sports Breakfast host Georgie Bingham, who does not believe the World Cup winner deserved his reported £350,000-a-week new bumper deal two years ago.


Mesut Ozil is the highest earner on Arsenal’s books, earning a whopping £350,000-a-week
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Having operated moderately in the transfer market for almost the entirety of his tenure at Highbury, Arsene Wenger decided to finally loosen the purse strings and bring a lucrative signing to the Emirates when he signed Ozil from Real Madrid.


At £42.5million, the Germany international’s arrival in north London in 2013 heralded much fanfare and was viewed as a giant leap in the right direction.


Despite a spectacular campaign in the 2015/16 season, it is fair to say the 31-year-old has failed to fully convince the entire Arsenal fanbase of his undoubted potential.


But this was exacerbated in 2018 when, with just six months remaining on his current contract, the club sanctioned a massive deal to stave off interested parties.


Robin van Persie left Arsenal to win the Premier League in 2012
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Having seen the likes of Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri all leave the club for fame and fortune in previous years, allowing Ozil to leave for nothing could have been seen as the latest sign of weakness from the club.


Yet the huge contract has created an ominous cloud over the 2014 World Cup winner’s head and becomes something of a bone of contention whenever either his form or temperament are questioned.


Ozil’s latest contract expires in 2021, with the midfielder registering just one goal and three assists in 23 appearances in all competitions so far this season.


And Bingham insists the incredible deal Ozil managed to acquire is something club officials will still regret to this day.


Ozil arrived in 2013 to much fanfare after becoming the Gunners’ record signing
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“Well I kind of always actually think the problem with Mesut is that the noises that come from him are not resolute enough,” Bingham said.


“So I think, if I were Mesut Ozil, or if you were in the position that Mesut Ozil is in, you would say ‘I take the can for being our stand-out, big star and it is my responsibility to lead this team and to prove to everyone that I am worth the salary that I’m on.’


“Listen, nobody’s career can be all flowers and rainbows and I realise that and I think Ozil has had a really tough time.


“I also think there are times when he gets hung out for no reason. But I also think it is Arsenal’s biggest mistake of the last 10 years.


Ozil’s public disagreement with former interim boss Freddie Ljungberg in December was painful to watch
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“They haven’t made that many, in terms of they went through a period where they would lose a lot of players who were out of contract. That has largely, actually not been too big a problem.


“Although obviously with Sanchez and Ozil and their contract running down at the same time was an issue.


“But rewarding a player that does no deserve that reward is the stupidest mistake Arsenal have made. Manchester United made it with Alexis Sanchez as well, by the way.


“And he hadn’t even earned it at Manchester United, he had earned it at Arsenal. But it was a move that I think was quite political as well in terms of stealing him from underneath Manchester City’s noses.








“Because I do feel like if he went to Manchester City it might have gone better for him, funnily enough.


“But the problem with Ozil is the stick to beat him with is the fact that I don’t think he deserved that contract.


“I think Arsenal were really stupid handing it out and it’s something that we beat them with.”






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