Dan Mountney
Former Arsenal youngster Charlie Gilmour believes Mesut Ozil is unfairly criticised over his lack of effort, describing the German playmaker as ‘an unbelievable player’ in an exclusive interview with The Gooner.
Gilmour trained alongside Ozil on several occasions over a three-year period, and he even replaced the 31-year-old to make his home debut against Qarabag in the Europa League in December 2018.
The German World Cup winner has often come in for criticism during his near seven-year spell with the Gunners, with a perceived lack of effort and minimal impact on games despite his £350,00-a-week salary a major gripe for supporters and pundits alike.
Gilmour thinks Ozil is often unfairly criticised though, telling the Gooner: “The ability Mesut Ozil has is crazy. He sees passes that others just can't and don’t see. He's immense.
“I always get asked about his effort and I don't know why Mesut gets so much stick.
“I think football has changed in the way you go about the game and it's now more about the physical side, pace and power. You don't see that side with him, but technically he's superb.
“He's composed on the ball and you play at his tempo. He's just an unbelievable player and he also is the way he plays off the field, just very calm and relaxed.”
Having joined Arsenal in a £42.5m deal from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, Ozil’s time in north London could be drawing to a close, with reports that the club are yet to offer an extension to his deal that expires in 2021.
Arsenal tried to move the three-time FA Cup winner on last summer, and despite a change of management with Mikel Arteta replacing Unai Emery in December, the club’s stance has not changed and the German will likely to leave this summer or be let go on a free at the end of his deal.
