Piers Morgan has blasted Arsenal for laying off 55 staff in a post on Twitter. Arsenal said the decision was not taken lightly and attributed it to a reduction in income. The journalist drew attention to the fact that the club is owned by a multi-billionaire and has recently won the FA Cup and its prize money of $2.3 million, calling Arsenal’s move "morally indefensible". In addition, he attacked the club for paying midfielder Mesut Ozil, who "sits on his a**" while earning $460,000 a week.
The coronavirus pandemic resulted in a severe economic crisis, which has affected every sphere, including sport. Players in the English Premier League and other football tournaments have agreed to accept pay cuts in order to help clubs and their staff to weather out the painful lockdowns. Ozil, however, refused to accept a 12 percent wage cut. His decision has sparked harsh criticism from football fans, and Morgan has repeatedly taunted the athlete on social media.
But it’s not only the lack of desire to help the club that prompted Morgan to criticize the midfielder, it’s also his lackluster performance this season, which can partly be blamed on injuries. This season Ozil appeared in 18 games, scored one goal and made only two assists.