Mesut Ozil needs to fight to reclaim his place in Arsenal's best starting XI, according to former club and international team-mate Per Mertesacker.
He lauded Ozil's qualities while also challenging the languid playmaker to reclaim his place after recent injury problems, per Metro: "Mesut is a player with magical abilities. Last time (for the 1-0 won at home to Huddersfield on December 8) he was injured. Now I'm curious how he fights back. He can still be very valuable to Arsenal."
Mertesacker won three FA Cups with Ozil at Arsenal as well as the FIFA World Cup with Germany in 2014, and he remains an interested observer as coach of the Gunners' academy.