Arsenal hero Nwankwo Kanu thinks club must accept Mesut Ozil’s weaknesses or ditch him
NWANKWO KANU says Arsenal must accept Mesut Ozil for what he is — or ditch him.
The German playmaker cops flak for his low workrate despite his ability to create and score goals.
His languid style draws comparisons to Kanu, who was a cult hero during his time with the Gunners for his unpredictable skill but not exactly famed for putting in a shift.
Kanu, 42, said: “Every player is different. What you need is his strengths, not his weaknesses. He can work on his weaknesses but you can’t change him.
“Either you accept him or you let him go. You don’t want Maradona or Messi to go back and defend, you want them to go and do what they know how to do.
“If it’s a style of play, the coach has to accommodate that and make room for Mesut to play in that manner. I don’t know why people are still complaining a lot about him.”
Kanu is a fan of Ozil’s talents but he said: “The only thing I can say is that sometimes he’s not into it.
“But you can never change him.”
Meanwhile his international compatriot Toni Kroos labelled Ozil's racism allegations as "nonsense."
Arsenal star Ozil quit Germany duty after their World Cup horror show and claimed he had faced "racism and disrespect" because of his Turkish roots.
Speaking to Bild, Kroos hit back: "The manner of his retirement was not okay.