Mesut Ozil’s prolific tweeting in exile from the Arsenal first-team has continued throughout the international break, with the playmaker now turning his sights on the German national team.
In the wake of Germany’s 6-0 defeat to Spain in the Nations League, which puts head coach Joachim Low under serious pressure, seven months before the European Championship, Ozil took to Twitter almost immediatedly to deliver his verdict.
Leeds’ Robin Koch and Niklas Sule of Bayern Munich were at the heart of a German defence which shipped six goals to La Roja, in a display that shone a light on Joachim Low’s decision to dispense with much of the old guard of the last decade.
Along with Ozil, a World Cup winner in 2014 who amassed 92 caps for his country and hasn’t played for Germany since 2018, Low has moved on from fellow veterans Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller, who haven’t represented their country in the last two years.
Ozil, tagging Boateng and the German national team, tweeted: “Time to take Jerome Boateng back”, in a pretty obvious dig at Low’s selection policy.
The playmaker has experienced a fractious relationship with his national team since retiring in 2018, claiming he was scapegoated for their miserable World Cup display and Russia and received no protection over the political storm which followed him being pictured with controversial Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The 32-year-old, who is a third generation Turkish-German, also cited racism as one reason behind his decision claiming, “I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” further deepening tensions with the DFB.
Earlier this month Ozil also engaged in the slightly surreal Twitter spat between Arsenal teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and former Germany colleague Toni Kroos, who had criticised the Gunners striker as a role model for children.
Ozil and Kroos also have history with the midfield infamously stating that claims of racism were “nonsense”.
On his recent social media activity, Ozil’s support of Boateng could chime with Arsenal fans given the Bayern Munich defender is out of contract at the end of the season with the Bavarians showing no sign they will renew his deal.
Arsenal have been mentioned, along with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Tottenham, as a potential destination for the veteran centre-back, with Ozil’s presence potentially influential.
In only negotiations that is, as Ozil's exile from Mikel Arteta’s squad means his seven years in red and white are set to come to an end with the expectation that he’ll leave north London at the end of this season.
