Stewart Robson thinks Arsenal should take Mesut Özil’s contract offer off the table and sell Olivier Giroud.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Arsenal player told the radio station that despite Özil indicating he wants to stay and extend his contract, Arsenal shouldn’t make him a new offer.
As reported by the Express, he said: “You can’t pay somebody £400,000-a-week and him be a passenger every third week. That is not good enough from a top player and that is why other clubs like Real Madrid, who he was at before, and Bayern Munich haven’t taken him.”
It’s not clear where Robson has got this figure of £400,000-a-week, since there haven’t been any reliable sources quoting figures anywhere close to this amount.
Regardless, most people who have watched Arsenal with and without Özil should be able to see the improvement when he’s available. This is backed up in results.
Arsenal lost three of the five league games Özil missed in 2016/17, winning only one, at home against Crystal Palace. Having not shown any ability to cope without Mesut, it would be bizarre to let him go.
Robson then said on Giroud that “he gives them (Arsenal) something different because he is good in the air but I think it is time for him to leave and Arsenal to let him go”.
Giroud has done well for the Gunners and managed 98 goals in his five years, but opinion is divided on what’s next.
He still brings a lot to the team and is a great option, but it really depends if he’s willing to accept whatever role Arsenal need him to play. If not, then it’s best to move him on.