LONDON. — Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have let Arsenal down this season and should be sold if they are not ready to fight for the team, according to the club’s former defender Martin Keown. Sanchez and Ozil scored 41 goals between them for the Gunners but it was not enough to secure Champions League soccer qualification as Wenger’s men finished fifth.

The duo are yet to sign extensions to their contracts, which both have one year left to run, and uncertainty regarding their futures has intensified due to problems on and off the pitch.

Ozil sat out five consecutive starting lineups following Arsenal’s first 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich while Sanchez was dropped during the same period, after storming out of a training session.

“It became about Ozil and Sanchez for too long in the season. I think their behaviour let Arsenal down in that period,” said Keown, speaking for BT Sport ahead of the Emirates FA Cup Final.

“Ozil wasn’t available for large periods. Was he injured, wasn’t he? Was it sickness, was it injury? He didn’t seem to be around when they needed him most.

“Sanchez then had an incident at the club. It felt like he threw his toys out of the cot for a little while. We don’t really know exactly what happened.

“All of that was I think because these guys were maybe over-indulged a little bit. That’s Arsene Wenger’s style of management.

“They’re the best players, they’re the type of players he loves most of all. They maybe let Arsene Wenger down.”

Wenger is yet to confirm whether he will still be at Arsenal next season and Keown believes doubt surrounding the manager’s future also “upset the group.” But he remains adamant that if Wenger decides to let Sanchez or Ozil leave this summer, the club should back the Frenchman’s judgement. — ESPN.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey