Former Real Madrid and German playmaker Mesut Ozil are set to leave North London side Arsenal after eight years in the club. The German international joined on the 2nd of September 2013, Özil agreed to join the English Premier League side around £42.5 million (€50 million).
It was said to be a five-year deal, but he extended his contract with the club after the first five years. He has spent seven-and-a-half years in the Emirates Stadium.
Mesut Ozil came as a star player for Arsenal, but questions now are, is Ozil leaving the club as a legend or a disappointment? He was asked what hehe regretted playing for Arsenal and he said he did not regret playing for the club.
Many Arsenal fans believe Ozil has played a significant part in Arsenal should be regarded as a legend, but is the club saying the same thing? His last phase with the club never came well as the new manager was unwilling to use the player.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta who took over from Ljungberg came, and he dropped the player. Since his arrival, Ozil has been battling for playing time.
Before Arteta’s coming, he fell out of favour under previous manager Unai Emery before returning to the side under interim boss Freddie Ljungberg. After Arteta’s appointment in December 2019, Ozil started all 10 of Arsenal’s Premier League games immediately before the coronavirus pandemic forced a three-month suspension of the top-flight in March.
Football lovers have been in the search to what happened between the player and the club. Is it a personal issue with the coach and the player or is it an issue with the player and the Arsenal board?
Well, according to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he feels he has “failed” with midfielder Mesut Ozil after leaving him out of his 25-man Premier League squad. The German was omitted from the Europa League squad.
He did not give an exact reason or on what regard has Ozil failed him. Speaking about Ozil Arteta said: “My conscience is very calm because I have been fair.” He also said: “What I can say from my side is that it is just a football decision.
My level of communication with him has been high, and we know what to expect with each other.”” A player of that dimension, with the career he has had, has a significant impact on everything that happens around him.
It has been the case for the last eight years, and it is nothing new that is just happening now. A lot of things have happened over these eight years,” He added. Furthermore, Arteta said his job is to get the best out of every player and contribute to the team performance.
“Here I feel at the moment, today, that I have failed.” He concluded by saying: I want the best possible Mesut for the team. And in some moments I was able to get close to that. At the moment I have not been able to do it because I have to decide to leave him out of the squad.”
Responding to that, Ozil said in a message he sent to Arsenal fans, “loyalty is hard to come by nowadays”. He wrote his social media handle saying: “I’m really deeply disappointed by the fact that I have not been registered for the Premier League season for the time being.”
“Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal, and it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated.”” I’ve always tried to remain positive from week to week that there’s maybe a chance to get back in the squad soon again.
That’s why I kept silent so far.” Mesut Ozil also said: “Before the coronavirus break I was really happy with my development under our new coach Mikel Arteta, we’ve been on a positive way and I would say my performances were on a really good level.”
“But then things changed, again, and I was no longer allowed to play football for Arsenal.” The failure in him playing was a major surprise because Ozil enjoyed Arteta’s early reign. He started every single one of the ten games that the Spaniard had overseen in the league having been appointed as Unai Emery’s successor now his time at Arsenal has come to a premature end.
After seven-and-a-half years with the Gunners. Mesut Ozil is now leaving Arsenal to Turkey, and there was no former big goodbye, no big send-off. The star who arrived in 2013 is now leaving the North London club with the principal not shinning.
Arsenal and Ozil are likened to a marriage made in heaven, and for a time it was, but later ended in hell. Mesut Ozil helped Arsenal won the FA Cup in his first season in England under Arsene Wenger.
He also won three more FA Cup trophies with Arsenal. To Ozil now, the move to Fenerbahce could bring back Ozil to light and rekindle his fire as he has earlier said that the Turkish side is the place he has always loved to play for.