Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac: Man pleads guilty to attempted robbery of Arsenal players

Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac were the victims of an attempted robbery

A man has pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery of Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac in July.

Ashley Smith, 30, appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court via video link on Thursday morning and admitted attempting to steal watches from Ozil and Kolasinac on July 25 in Platts Lane in Hampstead, north-west London.

Smith, of Archway, north London, was remanded in custody to be sentenced at the same court on November 1 by Judge Sheelagh Canavan.

World Cup winner Ozil and full-back Kolasinac missed the opening game of the Premier League season away to Newcastle over security concerns.

A second man, Jordan Northover, 26, has been charged over the incident and is due to appear before magistrates on Friday, October 4.

Kolasinac joined Arsenal in June 2017, while German midfielder Ozil has won the FA Cup three times with the Emirates club.