Former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn insists the Gunners need to move on from the controversy surrounding Mesut Ozil's future, admitting that he "probably" won't play for the club again.
Ozil has not played for the Emirates Stadium outfit since March, starting the 1-0 victory over West Ham United.
This season, the former Real Madrid ace has not been named in a single match-day squad by Mikel Arteta, suggesting that his hopes of resurrecting his Gunners career are all but over.
His contract expires next summer and for former Arsenal star Winterburn, the club need to move on from the situation surrounding his future.
“Mesut Ozil is a terrific player and the one thing that he does give you is that he will create chances but at the same time he is not going to give you that defensive side to the game, with and without the ball, which is why he hasn’t been selected," Winterburn told FreeSuperTips.
“When the team aren’t creating chances then Ozil’s name will always come up and we should try and move away from that because he is not going to be part of the squad and probably won’t be involved again at the football club, so he is not an option that Arsenal can consider.”
Only last week, Arteta admitted that he has done all he can to try and resurrect the former Germany international's career in north London, but he has fallen short with his efforts.
"What I can tell you that I tried my best, I tried to give him as many opportunities as I could," Arteta told Sky Sports, as quoted by the Metro.
"And that from my own side, I’ve been patient, given him opportunities and been fair.
"He’s a player that belongs to a football club, he’s been a really important player in the last few seasons. I have to respect that, I’m here to make decisions, the best decisions for the team and for the club.
"This is what I try to do and then I have to explain them because people need the reasons and the right answers.
"I just give mine, whether they believe me or agree with me or not, there’s nothing I can do. But I have to put my decisions, with my heart and with my brain to make the right decisions that I believe are good."
