Arsene Wenger has explained how Mikel Arteta can resurrect Mesut Ozil's Arsenal career.
Ozil, 31, is yet to feature this season despite a brief renaissance last campaign before the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.
And the German playmaker was handed a fresh blow as he was left out of the Gunners' squad for the Europa League earlier this week.
Ozil appears to be surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium and has even been told he will never again pull on an Arsenal shirt by a club legend.
But former Arsenal boss Wenger - who paid £42.5million to sign Ozil from Real Madrid in 2013 - believes there is a way back to the first team for the Gunners outcast.
“He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch," Wenger told German outlet Der Speigel . "And playing the game without the ball wasn’t exactly his forte.
"But you can deal with that if you put some more defensively minded players by his side. The main thing is to get the balance between attack and defence right."
Ozil flourished during his five seasons under Wenger's management, scoring 37 goals across all competitions and providing countless assists.
But the legendary Frenchman admits the modern game's focus on strength and pace may not suit his former player.
Wenger added: “Players have lost their technical quality over the past 10 years. Athleticism has become more important than technique and decision making.
"It's more about physical characteristics and intensity, about explosiveness. And it's also about being a showman.”
Should Arteta take note of Wenger's advice on how to get the best out of Ozil, or is it too late for the midfielder? Have your say here.
Ozil has less than 12 months remaining on the lucrative contract he signed in 2018 which made him the highest-paid player in Arsenal's history.
The three-time FA Cup winner continues to divide opinions amongst Arsenal's fan base and was once more in the news this week as he offered to pay the wages of redundant club mascot Gunnersaurus.
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