Thursday, March 28, 2024

In quotes: Mesut Ozil leaves Arsenal after 7 1/2 years

Confirmation of what we already knew, that Mesut Ozil was to leave the club and join Fenerbahce, came today with an announcement on the club’s official website.

Since joining in September 2013, the German made 254 appearances for the Gunners scoring 44 goals and making 77 assists – as well as being on the winning side in three FA Cup finals (2014, 2015 and 2017).

Here’s what everyone had to say about it.

Mesut Ozil

“I’d like to thank the club for this amazing journey over the past seven-and-a-half years. The support I have felt from the team and fans during my time here has been truly incredible and something I will always be grateful for.

“Together we won trophies for the first time in years and created memories that will last a lifetime. The Arsenal fans will forever remain in my heart.

“I’d like to thank Edu Gaspar for helping bring about a professional and dignified solution in the past few days, and I wish everyone at the club the best in their attempt to continue to bring Arsenal back to the top, where we belong.”

Mikel Arteta

“Mesut’s achievements at Arsenal are undisputed. It was a privilege to play alongside him and, more recently, coach him. His creativity and vision led to many goals during his time in the Arsenal shirt.

“Mesut was at the heart of many great moments for this club over the years, including those three FA Cup final wins. These successes will always be part of our history. We thank Mesut and wish him all the best with Fenerbahce.”

Edu

“We thank Mesut for his huge contribution to Arsenal. He has made more than 250 appearances, played in three Emirates FA Cup final wins and has given the fans and everyone at the club many wonderful moments on the pitch since he joined us in 2013.

“We would like to thank Mesut and his team for their professionalism during our recent negotiations. I know everyone associated with Arsenal will join me in wishing Mesut and his family the best of health, success and happiness in the next chapter of his career.”

Best of luck to him in Turkey.

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Naked Cygan

All the best MO. Hope to see the old Ozil back again.

Johnny 4 Hats

Man, Arteta needs this too. It’s all very well signalling a new era but when so many of the squad represent the old ways, it’s not easy.

And Mesut is the totem of the Wenger days. A leftover survivor from a bygone era.

Ozil was fantastic in moments and arguably had we continued to strengthen after Sanchez joined us, things could have been very different. But that summer we signed Xhaka, Mustafi and Perez changed the club in so many ways and arguably lost Wenger his job.

Anyway, time to look forward not back.

A M

Exactly man, better signings and we could have finished higher than the 15/16 season
Still remember we were 5 points clear at the top on New Year’s Day 2015 ;(

Johnny 4 Hats

I don’t remember truly believing that side could win the league. But looking back, it was pretty fucking sweet.

Reality check

“Still remember we were 5 points clear at the top on New Year’s Day 2015 ;(”

From that point on, Giroud scored just once untill the game week 37, long after we’ve already been kicked out of the title race. He used to go missing every year, never scored 20 goals in a PL season, went and joined our rivals when he had to compete for his place, but still unconditionally loved and is a legend around here.

GoonerD

He didn’t want to leave he was sold to raise funds and accommodate our current strike duo Auba and Laca.

Reality check

How do you know he didn’t want to leave? He was already frustrated because Laca began to start more games. Could have joined a foreign club but chose our rivals like Van Persie, even celebrated his goals against us, “Thank you Arsenallll” he taunted after scoring in the final..

AMN's cheeky grin

And don’t forget the summer before that, when we didn’t sign any outfield players! You’re so right that we missed the opportunity to strengthen and build a coherent squad.

Johnny 4 Hats

That same window we signed Xhaka and Mustafi was the summer Kante went to Chelsea and Van Dyke went to Southampton. We were heavily linked with both.

In an alternate universe those two signed and we did the treble. Wish I was there man. Wish I was there.

A Different George

Johnny, you’re usually a little more clear-eyed. We were “linked” to Van Dijk in the same way we are linked to Messi today. Remember, Liverpool had to apologise to Southampton for their approach to him, and they ended up paying a world-record transfer fee–at least double what we payed for Mustafi.

Johnny 4 Hats

Celtic’s former assistant manager John Collins:

“Arsenal’s chief scout [Steve Rowley] thought he was too nonchalant. He would’ve them cost around £12m.”

We went to watch him at Celtic but turned him down.

Voldermort

Double the Price but 10 times the player. Cheap in retrospect

Bleeding gums murphy

Only player in history to have achieved most assists in premiership, la Liga, bundesliga, champions league, World Cup and euros. I recon he ain’t done bad. All the best Mesut.

Bleeding gums murphy

Came in to a very average team and helped us win trophies again after many baron years.

El Mintero

What a load of fucking bollocks. Do your research. Learn something. “Most assists in the premiership” lol. Against bottom 2% opposition. Went missing every other game he could be bothered turning up for. Your hero Ozil was nothing more than a money grabbing greed obsessed petulant waste of space. Arsenal are well shot of this chancer.. Except we’re not really, not yet anyway, because we’re the ones who are paying his fucking 350k/wk in Istanbul thru July per his outrageous Arsenal contract. Just before he fucks off to MLS in August.

Bleeding gums murphy

2015/16 I think it was. Might of been season before. Ozil got most assists in premiership. Maybe try learning to read. Dopey xxxx

Merlin’s Panini

I’m not saying you’re not correct here but could you provide a source that we are paying his wages? I thought his contract had been terminated.

Biggles

True, we have to look forward but doing that we also have to learn the lessons of the past. The debacle over the departure of Sanchez coupled with the subsequent OTT contract for Ozil which followed as a direct result are very important ones.

Johnny 4 Hats

Oh we’ve learnt from our mistakes. Those days of squandering vast amounts of money on players that don’t seem to fit into the squad are over my friend.

Over.

Over.

Over?

Fabulous

One word: Willian. Trust me it’s far from over.

Ozzie

Really fed up with people questioning Ozil’s commitment and basing it on his ‘body language’. NOBODY has ever achieved that level of brilliance without putting their heart, soul and body on the line, day in-day out, well nobody except maybe David Bentley.

Gunner Be Alright

It was good while it lasted. Just lasted a bit too long! Best wishes Mesut.

JazzAFC

Thank you Mesut for the Magic. Hope you do well in Turkey !

PeteyB

I’ve long held a view that something broke in Ozil with all the shite that went on around the world cup, dropping from Germany team etc. To be at the very top you need the mentality and insatiable desire to win. To my mind he lost that somehow.
For him the move to Turkey will be like you or I going for a kick about in the park. He’ll be with his family, playing for fun and no doubt will be loved by the fans. I hope he finds his mojo.

Gio

It’s a shame his PR team is so good, it makes it hard to believe anything that comes from his social media accounts, even if he may truly feel that way.

The letter is very well written, but again, how much of that does Ozil truly feel? We’re completely in the dark.

It’s sad if his love for Arsenal is indeed genuine, we just won’t know due to the obvious PR team he has.

viegunner

i don’t think his PR team is that good, it’s kind of easy to post things that many supporters will like. in fact his PR team overacted and people who aren’t completely stupid stopped taking them at face value

reminder: it’s not him who posted these things, it’s some PR dude. as is mostly any statement given to the press. ask anyone working in PR, it’s that way.

Hank Scorpio

The Ozil PR team comments are a good laugh. Visions of an army of PR stooges crafting his messages. Fair to say Arsenal would have a much larger PR team than Ozil could dream of. Doing things like leaking his refusal to take a paycut, feeding shite about trying to ‘help the player’, writing the manager’s comments in this instance, etc. It’s all about shaping the narrative around the club’s handling of this now thankfully dead issue to put the club in a good light and shift negative focus onto the player. Anyway, good luck to him at Fenerbache. I’ve… Read more »

Francesc

Well said brother. Although I am sure that the statement he made for the Uighurs was from his heart and I absolutely laud him for that.. i mean no one even in the world is even bothering to say a word about it. However, the rest of the stuff sometimes seems too calculated to believe.

karl

Now. What did they really think without the help of a PR expert?

OnlyBeingHonest

Some people find the bad in eveyhting

karl

I just feel as if I saw those quotes so many times, I would prefer the said something interesting. Maybe it is better to be gullible though.

Reality check

Some, people just don’t like Ozil and they are very about it, it is what it is. It’s insincere to have someone professional write for you so you’re not misread or misunderstood, strange..

GUN

Pretty sure they wouldn’t post something against Ozil’s decision.

A M

All the best in Turkey! You were the reason I started following Arsenal (since 2015)
Also I urge all Gooners to forget the wages for once and remember those brilliant skills, goals and assists he provided us with under Wenger.

Pea14

It won’t be easy not to think of the wages when comparing the performance. It’s like how it felt with Williams now

Reality check

The owners, who’s money you love so much and feel protective about, just got 300mil richer during the pandemic while also being the only ones to leave 60 odd staff unemployed and getting everyone else to accept pay cuts.

Fabulous

Did you have to pay for his wages personally or something?

Qwaliteee

I love the way he has already started using the term ‘we’ in the same way as Wrighty.

Once a Gooner, always a Gooner.

I wish him and his family well.

Hail Gus!

From BBC:

Meanwhile, Fenerbahce have called on supporters to help them fund Ozil’s contract, with the club reportedly £450m in debt. They have reportedly set up a text message service through which fans can donate money.

FFS

Damo

Except if your name is Robin Van Persie

Fabulous

Have you seen his recent punditry works? Really trying hard as h*ll not to associate himself with Arsenal. Yet he tries to come across as a United man, when their fanbase clearly doesn’t rank him as high as their legends. He’s nowhere near the class of 92, Cantona, Rooney, Cristiano. The absolute c*nt.

Georgeycharles

Needed to happen, but can’t help but feel a bit sad. Best of luck Mesut.

Heisenbird

Personally I’m gutted as I felt he still more to offer. He was such a fabulous footballer on his day. Regardless of what one thinks of him it’s such a shame it had to end like this. All the best to him in Turkey.

SarcasmB0t

SARCASMB0T

“Good riddance, you lazy scrounger.”

Pau

It seems not many understood you. … almost like MO himself.

jimbo

Arteta is such a cunt. it was a privilage to coach him, fuck off your treatment of him was a disgrace

Appels&Pere

You’re very cool Jimbo.

Mesut 0/10zil

Finally gone, for someone who’s dream was to play for the arse, to see a player not give their all and then when they face the repercussions of that, disrespect the club on SM and make a mockery of the situation that’s self inflicted. Let’s not forget, he has had issues with players and all 3 previous managers, this is not Mikels fault. Coincidence that he is happy to leave “his beloved arsenal” once the contract is paid off, where is the ill “fight for my place” attitude. One day he will realise that all those zeros in his bank… Read more »

Reality check

“Let’s not forget, he has had issues with players”
Have evidence to back the above, even reports?

“once the contract is paid off”
How do you know that? all the reports say otherwise

“fight for my place”
You can’t fight for a place when registered in the squad

“memories and achievements are worth more”
He’s a world cup winner. Footballers would trade all their achievements just to have that in their memory..

“Now go and cuddle up to your racist mate Ergodan, out of the limelight loser”
Ok I get it, it wasn’t about football at all..

Mesut 0/10zil

According to blogs and various reliable publications, it’s well know that arsenal contributed financially to cancel his contract, not the full amount outstanding but they certainly contributed. It’s got to be a mutual termination as he wants to play football and now realised that he can no longer drift through his career as he has been out bluffed and unregistered. As for falling out with the managers, I can remember Unai saying without any saving graces, that he has an attitude problem, to play you first need to train hard, this was parroted by Mikel and Freddie. The whole world… Read more »

Fezec

Yeah!! Fuck nuance!!

jimbo

I think you need to look up the meaning and use of the word nuance.
maybe the word you are looking for is subtlety
free advice

Matthinc

Do you think Arteta ever said anything as crude about him as you just did about Arteta? I think it’s been handled about as well as it could have been given Arteta, like the last 2 managers, clearly didn’t think Ozil was right for the team anymore. That’s literally good job. Which he did.

Reality check

“That’s literally good job. Which he did”

How so? We are 11th atm and were 15th not so long ago before the formation change and he was forced to play a rookie in the position Ozil plays. We’ll lose more money by not qualifying for Europe than the we were going to save by getting rid of him. When has Ozil ever been as bad as Willian is now?

Francesc

Hope you left arsenal along with ozil

Qwaliteee

Blimey Jim, I thought I cut through the flannel…..!!

You are, of course, spot on.

OnlyBeingHonest

Will never forget the feeling when we signed him, we signed the best number 10 in world when we couldn’t buy a trophy, Wenger pulled off a madness!! Thanks for everything and all the best in the future my man

MrBure

That Arteta statement is so disingenuous…
Anyway, best of luck to Mesut in Turkey.

Qwaliteee

Ozil will be remembered as one of the best creative midfielders the game has produced.

Arteta will be remembered as a bang average midfielder who oversaw Arsenal’s worst league start for 40 years.

Rich

Wasn’t my cup of tea, and delighted he’s left

But……

Played a big part in 3 FA Cup wins

A joy to watch on his day

Best of luck to him, hopefully he starts enjoying his football again

If I had to hazard a guess though…

After the initial honeymoon period, he’ll become a living nightmare for whoever the Fenerbahce manager is

SharpasFc

I’m literally watching his first training session with Fener on Youtube and he’s putting in as much effort there as he did here…but hey, I wish him all the best. He’s their problem now and not ours!

Mesut 0/10zil

That’s commitment

Doey

I’ve just seen a suggestion that fenerbache are asking fans to donate to help pay his wages. That feels like a risky relationship to get into with a player of that level of variability…

John

Ivan Gazidus: “We probably överpaid.”

Twatsloch

The only one I really can’t be bothered to hear from of these three is Kia’s inside man, Edu. Fuck that bloke!

Pete Plum

Cheers Mesut. You were a legend in my eyes. I hope we can give you a proper farewell one day

Francesc

Sick leave legend

Qwaliteee

Check out his stats.

Not bad for a sick note.

Mesut 0/10zil

Better be with plastic cups and plates, ASDA box wine and a bowl of nik naks after that contract monies went down the drain

Highbury

So hard to put into words how I feel about this. Clearly one of the best footballers that ever put on the shirt, yet tarnished by these past couple of years. He’s not the all-time greatest, yet is still one of my favourite arsenal players. Good luck to him and his family.

Name*

Not wanting to point fingers start a fight, nor have I ever jumped on the Özil bandwagon too much, but there is a lot in what wasn’t said. He referenced the professionalism of Edu Gaspar. But any mention of Arteta is conspicuous by its absence. Their professional relationship must have really, really soured

SharpasFc

If your former team mate drops you from the squad and essentially says it’s because you’re not up to it…I suspect that would contribute hugely to the sourness.

Name*

True; it makes one wonder how much of the backroom politics didn’t actually spill out – and how much it may have affected the team and the standing of both Arteta as the coach, and the deadwood players, especially on the backdrop of Willian having any place in the squad

Matthinc

Yeah, which kind of makes me think both Arteta and Ozil have been reasonably professional about all this. And it’s the fans who seem to become completely awful.

GUN

Clearly the issue is between the board and Ozil. Arteta has nothing to do with Ozil’s omission.

Reality check

Its not about being up to it, cz Arteta has s¹hown he’s not very concerned about that. I think it’s to do with pay cuts, something Arteta took responsibility for. The two who rejected, both didn’t get selected..

Adrian Drum

According to Blog, there were three players and two played week in week out after refusing pay cut

Sheldon

This is just like a divorce. Loved him b4 he signed, hated him after he signed and eventually indifference.. But this is why you unfollow ur ex’s before u read their goodbye post on social media. Ur just left feeling u wished it ended better.

GUN

He played brilliantly for Arsenal. I can’t see why you started hating him after he signed for us.

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Fantastic player on his day. Frustratingly useless on his all too familiar bad days. It’s a shame how it turned out but the club moves on, just like it did after losing legends like Henry, Adebayor and Denilson.
On that note, Saliba looked tidy enough yesterday, kept a clean sheet, albeit with not much to do

Noni

If so the actual legends we’ve had, you mention Adebayor and Denilson? How about Pires, Vieira, Fabregas, Campbell, Adams… I could go on. Mesut could have been amongst that illustrious list had the last few seasons not gone so badly. Good luck in Turkey Oz.

Reality check

What makes Fabregas a legend? Ozil was loyal when we wanted him to be even though he could’ve easily gotten the same or a better wage packet elsewhere.

Qwaliteee

You think Denilson is a legend?

The ref once overtook him tracking back for what ended up being a Man Utd goal. Scored by Wayne Rooney who should have been marked by an ambling ball watching Denilson.

The guy was shite.

Damo

Denilson??

Laca New Signing

However some of us might wish to erase him from their memories, Mesut Özil will always be part of the Arsenal history, and history will judge him very kindly for his contribution to the club in an era with so little else to celebrate.

A club legend in my eyes. All the best in Turkey with Ferner (only not against Arsenal in any competition)

Francesc

Sanogo and Santos are also a part of arsenal’s history

Chris

I appreciate mesuts technical ability so much, the stats don’t lie. He received far too much s**t for being something he’s not, he was a creator of opportunity we just didn’t finish those opportunities. You don’t sign a play maker who has no proven record of being a lung busting presser and then cry when he’s not. Stupidly under utilised in the last few months, especially when we couldn’t create anything in front of goal but I truly believe that was for political not footballing reasons. I’ve seen nothing to persuade me otherwise. Given the fact he’s 32 now it’s… Read more »

damobot

I will always love Mesut for the artist that he is. Underrated players like him Ramsey Wilshire Cazorla Giroud
Koscielny and even Mertersaker will be missed and as like the team before, can not be replaced!!!

MrT

After Denis Bergkamp… 2nd best EVER No10 which wore the AFC shirt in the clubs history…

Without a trophy for many years… with 2nd rated players he was playing with, made us win the FA Cup…

Thank you Mesut Ozil

Bilge Tekin

After the humiliating defeat, against Southampton, Arteta said he wanted to support Villain and Pepe, the two most ‘under performing players of the Club, at the expense of being thrown out of the FA Cup. OK, but do not start with them or replace them after the first 30 mins. And allow the young talents to shows us an entertaining game. I do not have any faith to him that he will turn the Club’s poor performance around. Both Arteta and Edu should go before we can expect to see any improvement. While these two are in charge we are… Read more »

Name*

He can’t actually say we f’d up getting Willian, now, can he? It’s on him, no two ways about that. It was as stupid a signing as it was possible to make and Arteta bears a part of the responsibility, unless as with Pépé and Emery, he wasn’t a part of the decision.

And he has to make Pépé work. Whether he wants him or not. He wasn’t even at the club then.

What else can he say?

Bilge Tekin

If Arteta really want to continue to compete I FA Cup, he should have the best performing players in the team against Southampton. Anyway he has no hope to be in the first four or first 6 or 8 of the PL, so his priority should have been wining FA Cup game. Also, he has been bring in wrong combinations of players in the games , limiting any chance to win a game. The subs Saka and Laca came far too late, had they been subbed at the 60 min, the result might have been different.

ScottGooner

THE most skilful player i’ve seen at the Emirates, his ability to receive a ball at any speed/height and instantly control was amazing as was his vision! Shame we didn’t push on with signings after we bought him as we were maybe 3 players away from getting back to winning the premier league. Glad he’s moved on – best thing for everyone concerned – good luck Mesut.

gooner

Best of luck Mesut. I will always have very fond memories of the quality you brought to the team alongside Alexis. So sad Arsene took a different turn and brought expensive but poor quality strikers in Lucas Perez and YES Welbeck But the final stint at the club was rotten in all ways and the less said the better. Ozil didn’t give himself that ridiculous contract and everyone will have their opinion of how it was handled or mishandled but to think that Fenerbache fans are being asked to part with money in an SMS campaign to cover his wages… Read more »

Biggles

Good luck to him and all that of course but I suspect that there’s a sigh of relief from the majority of Gooners that this nightmare is finally over – for all parties involved. Setting aside all the “history” of who did what etc. the key lesson to be learned is that the club must never again be panicked into awarding a mega-contract like Ozil got in response to the earlier, avoidable, departure of Sanchez because his contract had been allowed to run down.

John

We’ve got Smith Rowe
Emile Smith Rowe
I just don’t think you understand
His goals, assists and skill
He’s better than Ozil
We’ve got Emile Smith Rowe

Qwaliteee

Once upon a time, we used to sing songs about our players being better than Tottenham players (We all agree, Rixy is better than Hoddle, etc)

Now Arsenal fans have turned on their own players.

Sad.

Eshan

Good luck Mesut. I am sorry that the club failed your talent by not putting enough world class players around you.

MrT

Well said mate… even if it wasn’t world class, 1st class would of been sufficient, rather than 2nd class players.

srowenger

A shameful episode for Arsenal that reflected very badly on the club. The shoddy treatment of Ozil was classless and reflected the decline in values at Arsenal post Wenger. Values that used to make Arsenal stand out from other clubs. The Kroenke’s are the antithesis of Wenger, classless. Ozil’s removal from the entire squad was idiotic from a footballing standpoint and purely vindictive and petty. There is no way that Arteta would deny himself having, at a minimum, that Plan B on the bench. This was not a footballing decision. It came straight from the Kroenkes. But as a novice… Read more »

Matthinc

Can you explain to me how the club have treated him shoddily? Do you think they wanted to freeze out their £350,000 a week asset? Or did it for no reason?

srowenger

He upset the owners with his Uighurs comments, which endangered the potentially massive Chinese revenue stream, Also they were upset by his failure (for good reason) to refuse to take the pay cut, also his very public payment of Gunnersaurus’ wages after his firing. And it was petty, cruel and excessively punitive to exclude him totally from the squad, denying him the opportunity to play, especially when virtually all observers recognised that there was no footballing reason for this, Especially at a time when we were in dire need of a creative spark in the team. Whatever about not starting… Read more »

Qwaliteee

It was Arteta and his massive LEGO ball ego.

Since winning the FA Cup he has given it the big one, whilst the team have generally become the laughing stock of world football.

srowenger

I wish him well. Very sad though, the whole chapter epitomised the lack of class that Arsenal have exhibited post Wenger. The Kroenkes never understood or cared about those values (further shown by all the lay offs after insisting on a player pay cut to supposedly avoid lay offs).  I’m glad its over though because as an older, life long Arsenal fan it tarnished (for the first time) how I viewed the team and the manager. I love Arteta but I could not look at him or listen to him without my view of him being coloured badly by the… Read more »

Ausdrexler

So many highlights for the club. Will be great as a future old codger watching the game with my grandkids and reminiscing about the day we signed one of our best creative players before the 15 year golden era commenced in 2022.
Whatever people thought of him the last few seasons, the first 3 or 4 at Arsenal were brilliant and so joyful to watch.
Thanks for the memories MO.

Bob the gunner

I’d play Ozil and ship Willian to Turkey any day.

Qwaliteee

How this has been down voted is beyond.

Some people on this site must gain some sort of sadomasochistic joy from watching the team flirting with relegation and getting dumped out of the cups with ease.

LEGO ball enthusiasts.

Qwaliteee

*beyond me.

Tumang

Thanks the fans, Wenger, the club and Edu. Nothing on Arteta, wonder if that means anything.

Qwaliteee

Can’t say I’m surprised.

One FA Cup and Arteta thinks he’s Alex Ferguson.

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