ARSENE WENGER has told Mikel Arteta how he handled ‘artist’ Mesut Ozil at Arsenal.
The German outcast has not played a single minute for the Gunners this season and their iconic former manager revealed how he got the best out of him.
Ozil, 32, was axed from Arteta’s Premier League and Europa League squads this season and he is now odds on to leave in January.
And with his Emirates career seemingly over, Wenger – who signed Ozil for Arsenal in 2013 for £42million – has explained what makes the former Germany international tick.
He told ESPN’s Caught Offside podcast: “He was not difficult to manage.
“He was a guy who had a special quality as a creative player and needed to have fun.
“He is an artist and these guys are a bit more sensitive.
“They need support and an environment that pushes them to give their best.”
Former Gunner Paul Merson thinks his old team can afford to recall Ozil in January now they have Thomas Partey adding defensive stability in midfield.
And Wenger also revealed that balance is key to accommodating Ozil in a starting XI.
The 71-year-old added: “You have two ways to see a football team.
“You get everybody to do the same – the same intensity of work, the same defensive work – or you find a compromise.
“You have a more creative player in the team who can do less defensive work but you build a team around him who can compensate for these deficiencies.
“That is what you have to think about.”
Former Real Madrid man Ozil is said to be leaning towards MLS side DC United so he can manage his businesses in the USA.
And he also had a heated exchange on Twitter with Piers Morgan after the presenter called him ‘Arsenal’s Paul Pogba’.
Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates
