After news broke that, unlike most of his Arsenal team-mates, Mesut Ozil didn’t accept Arsenal’s proposal of a 12.5% wage cut in light of the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, one pundit has gone in hard on the squad.
The Daily Mail note the player’s resistance to the 12 month cut, with a suggestion that the Gunners’ top earner wants to be fully informed of the impact on the club before deciding whether or not to contribute by also agreeing to the cut.
Though that’s likely to be a stance that will make Ozil unpopular with colleagues and supporters, the decision to accept the cut remains with each individual.
MORE: Arsenal will have to pay €50m to sign attacking midfield target
However, former player turned pundit, Ally McCoist, has suggested that a lack of team dynamic in the dressing room is to blame for the story leaking out in the first place.
“It tells you about the quality of team-mate that he’s dealing with,” McCoist said on talkSPORT’s Sports Breakfast show.
“He’s got a snitch in his dressing room and no matter what you think about Mesut Ozil, I think it’s completely out of order that a private conversation regarding a wage reduction has been made public, and been made public for a reason – to make him (Ozil) look bad.
“Could you imagine a story like that coming out at Liverpool, or Manchester City at this moment in time regarding one of the players? It just wouldn’t happen because they are solid as a team.”
? “It tells you the quality of teammate Ozil is dealing with. It’s out of order.”
? “Would a story like this come out at Liverpool? It wouldn’t as they’re solid as a team.”
Ally McCoist says the fact we know Ozil rejected a pay cut should raise major concerns about #Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/VVF0MTmpJm
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 21, 2020
It’s unknown who leaked the story in the first place, but it’s entirely possible that it was someone in the team jealous of Ozil’s pay packet. The Daily Mail report him as being on a huge £350,000 per week.
Whatever the truth, as McCoist rightly notes, the lack of team spirit will be incredibly damaging, and that’s another potential problem for Mikel Arteta to get a grip of before the season begins again in earnest.