Report outlines Arteta tactical plans that would enable Ozil to play for Arsenal next season

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reportedly thrown Mesut Ozil a lifeline at the Emirates Stadium as he plots ways to include the midfielder in his plans next season, according to The Sun.

Ozil joined Arsenal to much fanfare under Arsene Wenger in 2013 for a reported £42.4million, and his £350,000-a-week extension in 2018 showed just how much he was valued at the club.

However, he has been utilised sporadically by both Unai Emery and Arteta, and after English football resumed in June, he did not play a single minute in the Premier League or FA Cup, a back injury cited as the issue.

With the new Premier League season on the horizon, Ozil was a surprise starter in Saturday’s 3-2 friendly defeat at home to Aston Villa, and according to The Sun, he could feature against Fulham when the new campaign gets under way.

The outlet claims that Arteta is resigned to the 31-year-old seeing out his contract, which runs out next summer, and is looking at ways to keep him involved.

While 3-4-3 has become Arsenal’s main formation in big games, Arteta reportedly wants to use 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 against teams which could look to frustrate the Gunners and grind out a result, which would enable Ozil to feature.

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Arsenal are in the process of a rebuilding job, with players set to leave as others come in, but Ozil’s situation is tricky for Arteta given the player’s huge contract which runs out next year, as well as his age.

With few clubs seemingly willing to pay a transfer fee and offer Ozil huge wages when they could just make a move next year, Arteta may as well just find ways to keep him involved, as per this report.

Besides, any top side has to have several plans at hand, particularly when it comes to teams that will shut up shop and play for a draw whilst attempting to sneak a goal on the counter, so it’s good to see that Arteta is apparently doing just that.