Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reacted to the statement released by Mesut Ozil after the player was not registered for the club's 2020/21 Premier League squad.
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Despite being one of the club's highest-paid players, the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner was left out of Arteta's Premier League plans earlier this week, with the Spaniard deciding not to add his name to the playing roster.
That decision prompted an almost immediate response from Ozil on social media, where he released a statement to make his feelings known and in which he accused Arsenal of a lack of loyalty.
Reacting to the 32-year-old's remarks, the Gunners' boss insisted that leaving Ozil out of his EPL squad was a call motivated purely by football, and that the midfielder was given the chance to convince him otherwise but ultimately failed.
"Everybody is free to express their feelings. What can I say from my side? It's just a football decision that my conscience is very calm about because I was very fair with him," Arteta told the club's website.
"My level of communication with him has been really high, we know what to expect from each other. When I believe that he could contribute to the team to be better, which is why I was hired to this football club – to become the manager, to win football matches, competitions, and create and build a project for the short, medium and long term.
"He has had the opportunity like everybody else. I'm sad that I had to leave three players off this list, which is never pleasant, but I just have to say that I tried to look everybody in the eye and be comfortable with it.
"With Mesut, I had this feeling because I have been very straightforward since I arrived at this club."
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