Jens Lehmann on "moody" Mesut Ozil transfer saga: "It's not always the manager to blame"

The former Arsenal goalkeeper spent time around the squad as he was appointed coach during the 2017/18 season, a time when many feel Ozil's decline began.

Lehmann believes players must combine raw talent with a good attitude if they are to succeed at the top level and drew on his own experiences of drifting in and out of form to relate to the Ozil situation.

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Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Lehmann said: "Every manager says about Mesut Ozil that he is a very, very talented and gifted player.

"But talent needs to be combined with attitude and performance.

"Sometimes Mesut did not always show that, and it's probably the reason why Arsenal did not list him for the Premier League."

Ozil will sign for Turkish side Fenerbahce imminently after touching down in Istanbul to complete the move earlier this week.

Lehmann doesn't feel that the blame for the Ozil saga can be placed squarely on management and that the player himself needed to step up and deliver.

He said: "Mesut can be fantastic, but he can be moody as well. Sometimes it's up to him to always produce. It was always Arsene's man management way.

"From my own career, I knew when I was good I was always playing, when I was less good, I was questioned.

"I've been questioned on my contributions, sometimes that has ended up by dropping me from the team.

"That's for every player, it's not always the manager to blame."

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