Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed what Mikel Arteta must do to get the best out of Mesut Ozil.
The German midfielder has been out of the first-team picture so far with the Gunners but is fit and training with the squad.
It was Wenger who brought Ozil to north London from Real Madrid in 2013 and the 31-year-old has gone on to play more than 250 games for the club.
However, he has failed to feature under Arteta in 2020/21 and has been linked with a move away to the MLS.
Wenger addressed the player's situation in an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel.
He said the best way of getting Ozil back to his very best is by having defensive players around him, which would then allow him to show his ability going forward.
"He wasn't exactly the one with the greatest discipline on the pitch," said Wenger, of Ozil.
"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 balance between attack and defence is right.
"It's no coincidence that [Ozil and others] seem so calm on the ball.
"They take in more information than others and, therefore, play deliberately.
"Everything is already done before the ball is received. Those who see, let you win."
