Mesut Ozil will not be welcomed back into the fold at Arsenal despite people “constantly” calling for the German playmaker to be offered a reprieve, says Alan Smith.
A World Cup winner finds himself frozen out at Emirates Stadium under Mikel Arteta.
Despite being a proven performer at the very highest level, while also being tied to a lucrative contract, the 32-year-old midfielder has been left out of Europa League and Premier League squads.
It would appear that Arsenal have seen the last of a player they snapped up from Real Madrid in 2013, with Ozil due to hit free agency in the summer of 2021.
Smith is among those who feel that too many bridges have been burned for a slate to be wiped clean, with Arteta feeling let down by a man that he once played alongside.
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Former Gunners striker Smith told Sky Sports of a long-running and potentially distracting saga at Emirates Stadium: “It's about getting the ball to Aubameyang quickly, and people who can see the pass early. That's why people go on about Ozil constantly, as he is the type who could do that.
“Arsenal were after a creative player in the window - Houssem Aouar - and they couldn't quite manage to get him along with Thomas Partey.
“But there is a lack of creativity, even before this bad run began, you could see that in the wins over Sheffield United and West Ham.
“Do I see Ozil returning to the team? No, I can't see it. Too much has gone on behind the scenes for Arteta to be able to trust him again. I think he feels he's been let down by Ozil at times, where the player has not been available when he thought he would be.
“If you don't trust a player, it's a big problem. It was a big thing to do not to put him in the squad, a huge statement, and I just can't see him coming back into the frame.”
Arteta is taking a considerable risk in omitting Ozil, with his absence an obvious topic of debate during an inconsistent run from Arsenal, but Smith believes a Spanish tactician will become a better coach for having made big decisions and experienced a testing run of form.
He added, with a north London derby date with arch-rivals Tottenham next up for the Gunners: “It's a big test for Arteta.
“He's a young manager who hasn't had to deal with these type of problems before, where he's got the last word and responsibility on his shoulders. It's totally different being a sidekick to somebody like Pep Guardiola, no matter how much work you do on the training ground.
“He's bound to make mistakes along the way, as good a coach as I think he is. It's a real test for him at the moment, and he must be scratching his head to think of a way of getting out of this run.”