They’ve been in the headlines constantly for months now, and it doesn’t seem like it is ever going to end whilst they are still at the club. Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez remain the focal point of every bit of transfer news that is reported at the moment – and their situation at the Emirate’s seems to change every day.

One thing is for sure though, the duo’s attitudes towards the club has left many fans and former players with bad tastes about them, and former Gunners defender Lee Dixon is one who isn’t shy of calling them out.

In his latest rant about Ozil, and this time including Sanchez, Dixon says that the pair would not have been allowed to stay during his era at the club – saying quite simply that they would have been “shown the door”.

Both players’ deals expire in the summer, meaning they could leave Arsenal for free at the end of the season. Ozil has been strongly rumoured to be joining Manchester United, whereas Sanchez looks destined to join Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

But Dixon says his former Arsenal team-mates would not have been as accommodating with the duo if the same went on back in his day, saying they would have been shown the door.

“We’d have just shown them the door,” said Dixon. “If you don’t want to play, then go. That’s not changed.

“If a player doesn’t want to play for you: it happened with Michael Thomas 18 months after he scored [the title-winning goal against Liverpool] in ’89, he was in dispute with the club or George about money. He ended up going in similar circumstances and signing with Liverpool.

“Agents and players manipulate situations – and clubs do, in order to get the best deal for the parties concerned – but in general, if you don’t want to go there, and you don’t want to stay, then you will be ousted from the environment and dressing room pretty quickly.

“Players work out whether you want to be there or not, and certainly fans do when they see your performances on the pitch.”
[Quotes via Sky Sports]