Former Arsenal star, Mesut Ozil has insisted that there is no bad blood between him and the club despite his controversial exit from the Gunners in 2021.
The former Arsenal & Real Madrid playmaker, who announced his retirement from professional football earlier this week, spent eight years in North London before his contract was terminated prematurely, back in 2021.
The German left the club to join Fenerbahce on a free transfer after falling out of favour with Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta.
Mesut Ozil made 254 appearances for Arsenal during his eight year stint in North London, scoring 44 goals & 79 assists in that time. The 34-year-old also helped the Gunners end their 10-year trophy drought after winning the FA Cup in 2014. He went on to win the trophy three more times during his Arsenal career.
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Despite his controversial exit, Mesut Ozil is now keen to put the longstanding feud behind him.
He told Spanish outlet Marca:
“The first years at Arsenal were very good. We played in the Champions League, we had a great team with great players and an incredible coach like Arsene Wenger. After he left the club, many things changed for me. But I have no interest in adding fuel to the fire again.”
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Ozil even admitted that he would love to see the Gunners lift the Premier League trophy at the end of the season. Arsenal currently sit top of the Premier League table, eight points clear with ten games to go.
Mesut Özil on Arsenal this season:
“Now I am relaxed and I wish the best to the Arsenal fans, who have always been very supportive of me. I would be happy for them if they could celebrate winning the Premier League title. They deserve it.”
During the German’s time at the club, he was highly regarded as one of the club’s best, and most expensive players prior to his acrimonious departure.
He earned £350,000-a-week at the Emirates – more than any other Arsenal player at the time, so it came as a shock to many fans when he was left out from the first team completely and eventually sold.
However as we’ve seen more frequently since then, Mikel Arteta isn’t afraid of making a big decision for the better of the club and there’s no doubt the Arsenal boss has got most decisions right during his tenure as manager so far.
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