Emery: Suarez arrival does not affect Ozil
Mesut Ozil has not been pushed further down the Arsenal pecking order by Denis Suarez joining on loan from Barcelona, says Unai Emery.
Published : Feb 01, 2019 21:10 IST
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery does not feel the arrival of Denis Suarez will have an impact on Mesut Ozil.
Despite being one of Arsenal's captains, Ozil has only started 13 Premier League matches this term and does not appear to be in Emery's preferred line-up.
Suarez joined on loan from Barcelona on Thursday, the midfielder returning to the Premier League after spending two years at Manchester City from 2011.
With Arsenal travelling to City in the Premier League on Sunday, the 25-year-old could make his Gunners debut against the reigning champion.
Emery denied signing Suarez, who played for him at Sevilla in the 2014-15 season, means there will be even fewer opportunities for Ozil.
"It's no change for him," Emery said of Ozil. "[Suarez] is coming here because we have a lot of problems on the wing, we haven't got players to play right or left - that is the reason."
Pressed on whether Ozil would remain an option as Arsenal captain, Emery replied: "I think it is very clear, you [the media] mention it every week. We have four captains, I don't know if you have come to my press conferences but I am going to repeat it but I think the others know it all.
"The first captain is Laurent Koscielny, he had injuries and couldn't play. The second is Petr Cech, third is Aaron Ramsey, after this Mesut Ozil.
"When he is playing [with] Cech, Cech is captain; when he is playing Laurent, Laurent is captain; when he is playing with Aaron, Aaron is captain and when he is playing, and another is not captain, then he is captain.
"In our last match, Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny and Aaron Ramsey didn't play, so Mesut Ozil is captain. After that, they are Granit Xhaka and Nacho Monreal."
Suarez provides an option in a range of midfield and attacking positions for the Gunners and his versatility was hailed by Emery.
"I know the player and he started to train individually [on Thursday]," Emery added. "[On Friday] he was with the group. Its good, his adaption has been quick.
"He's a player with quality and I think he can help us with his quality, and also his ambition to do something important here. It's a good challenge for him to help us.
"Firstly, he knows the language - he can speak English, which is important for us. Secondly, he played at Manchester City with the youth teams. He has a big experience in Spain, at Sevilla, at Villarreal, where he played in a semifinal against Liverpool in the Europa League.
"After, he played with Barcelona, not in the first XI a lot of times, but he helped them there and played in the Champions League, in an important team with important players. I think for him it's easy to adapt with us.
"We need every player to be OK and with the mentality to play on Sunday. We have maybe some injuries but we have other players who can play and help the team with their qualities, with the performances, with their condition. On Sunday, I am positive about the possibility of playing different players.
"He played with us at Sevilla as a left winger, at Villarreal as more of a right winger and at Barcelona, he plays inside and outside. The possibility and capacity is all different."