Mesut Ozil to Remain at Arsenal 'Until At Least 2021,' Agent Says

Mesut Ozil has no intention of leaving Arsenal before the end of his contract, and maybe not even after that, according to his agent.

Dr. Erkut Sogut told Turkish Football's Emre Sarigul (h/t Tom Kershaw of The Independent) where his client's immediate future lies beyond this season:

"Rumours will always persist, there is no doubt about that. But one thing I can guarantee is Mesut's loyalty. His mind is focused on Arsenal, and Arsenal only. Mesut bleeds Arsenal red, and respecting his contract is a certainty."

"He'll be staying at Arsenal until at least 2021, and the fans need not to worry about the gossip that may come this summer. He has found a place he feels welcome and believes he has a lot more to give."

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Sogut's certainty Ozil wants to remain in north London is somewhat curious given how the 30-year-old appears to have struggled to win over head coach Unai Emery. The Spaniard replaced Arsene Wenger in the dugout last summer, and unlike the Frenchman, he hasn't always trusted Ozil.

Wenger valued the playmaker's flair and vision, even to the point of indulging his languid actions off the ball. By contrast, Emery has been clear about Ozil not being suitable for the physical rigours of certain games, specifically those away from home.

When he starts, it's become common for Ozil to be withdrawn early, the way he was during Thursday's 4-2 win over Valencia. Ozil played just over an hour of a victory that gave the Gunners a 7-3 aggregate win in the UEFA Europa League semi-final before being substituted for Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the Mestalla.

Public criticism of Ozil has also become common, with former Arsenal players such as Emmanuel Petit not holding back. Petit, who won a Premier League and FA Cup double with the Gunners in 1998, labelled the Arsenal's No. 10 "a dead player" during an interview with Paddy Power (h/t TalkSport's Michael Benson).

It's not difficult to understand the frustration since Ozil has provided little return, in terms of creativity, to justify his club-high £350,000 weekly wage.

For the season, Ozil has registered a mere six goals and just three assists across all competitions.

Ozil's indifferent form is understandable on some level since Emery's tactics are different to those of Wenger. While the latter favoured a patient game based on dominance of possession, Emery is more content for his team to play a counter-attacking style underpinned by relentless pressing off the ball, particularly high up the pitch.

Those demands don't exactly fit with Ozil's penchant for strolling through matches and waiting for his moment to strike. He also hasn't had many runners from midfield to aim for since Aaron Ramsey suffered a hamstring injury during the 1-0 win away to Napoli in the last eight of the Europa League.

Emery has been content to play Ozil behind prolific strike duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Yet it isn't a classic No. 10 role where Ozil can pick his passes.

Instead, Emery's system calls for the strikers to play wide and for the man behind them to make runs through the middle and beyond the front. It's how Dele Alli operates for Tottenham Hotspur and how Liverpool use Jordan Henderson, two players very different from Ozil.

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For all the trouble getting to grips with Emery's system, Ozil sounds content to make it work. Earlier this month, he told Sky Sports he "absolutely" wants to stay and there are "definitely not" issues with Emery.

Even so, Ozil is one of the few big-ticket items Arsenal could sell this summer to help fund Emery's further rebuilding efforts. He needs more runners in midfield and quicker centre-backs who can play a high line and help the pressing game work.

Finding a buyer willing to take on Ozil's wages, as well as one who would offer UEFA Champions League football he would no doubt want, is likely to be tough. Yet if the Gunners can find the right transfer partner, moving Ozil on looks like the best move for both the club and a player ill-suited to the new regime.