Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has trolled Arsenal talent Mesut Ozil regarding recent comments he made about Spurs in a Q/A session. The German midfielder, who was the Special One's former player back at Real Madrid, recently confessed that he would rather hang up his boots than cross the north London divide, sparking a response from Jose.
This is a long-running inside joke among the Gunners fanbase. In these Q/A session, Arsenal fans tend to ask players, particularly those on their way out of the club, whether they would retire or join Tottenham, if given the choice. Given the rivalry between the two clubs, the 2014 World Cup winner gave the typical response when asked this question, stating that he would rather quit the beautiful game altogether.
Easy question. Retire! #AskMesut https://t.co/Lch8YlkMG9
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) January 11, 2021
This was brought to Mourinho's attention ahead of their upcoming clash with Fulham, with the Portuguese boss hitting back with his own jibe, saying that he is not even wanted at Tottenham in the first place.
Monday: Mesut Ozil says he would rather retire than play for Spurs.
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 12, 2021
Tuesday: pic.twitter.com/g8ctJlx4r4
All jokes aside, the issue of Mesut Ozil's future remain a contentious topic. The 32-year-old remains ostracized at the Emirates Stadium after being axed from the Premier League and Europa League squads by Mikel Arteta.
He has been heavily linked with the likes of DC United and Fenerbahce, and while the playmaker did not reveal his plans for the future, he openly admitted his desire to play in the US and Turkey. However, whether that will happen now or in the summer remains unclear.