Mesut Ozil reveals when he decided Arsenal spell would be the longest chapter of his career as midfielder nears Gunners exit

Mesut Ozil’s Arsenal career is set to come to an end this year.

The Gunners outcast has not played a single minute of competitive football in the past ten months with Mikel Arteta leaving him out of Arsenal’s Premier League and Europa League squads this season.

Getty Images

Ozil, who is out of contract this summer, has been heavily linked with moves to Fenerbahce and DC United in the January transfer window, which would see him end his seven-and-a-half-year spell in north London.

If no transfer is agreed before the end of the month, Ozil’s Emirates spell will definitely come to an end when his deal expires on June 30.

While many fans will be glad to see him go, there are plenty of Arsenal supporters who think Ozil has been mistreated – and it’s fair to say the German himself will miss the Gunners fans.

In fact, he revealed during a Twitter Q&A session that as soon as he heard the Arsenal fans singing his song, that’s when he knew he could stay in north London for years and years.

“Will you always remember Arsenal and the song with your name in that the fans sing,” Ozil was asked by one supporter.

And hee replied: “Sure – it was an awesome moment when I heard it for the 1st time at the Emirates.

“That was when I realised – wow, okay, you’ve really done something right and you’re welcomed here and it could make sense to make this to your longest chapter of your career.”

Ozil’s form has drastically dipped since he signed a new £350,000-a-week deal in January 2018.

And former Aston Villa and England forward Gabby Agbonlahor insists the 32-year-old should be spared of any blame for signing the mega contract.

“Clubs treat players badly when they don’t want them, let’s not be fooled here,” he said on The Sports Bar Weekender.

“Yes, Ozil has done things that he maybe shouldn’t have done and the way he’s acted… but no one forced Arsenal to give him £350,000-a-week. Take every penny.

“Why should he say, ‘I love Arsenal and I’m going to leave seven or eight million on the table and move because I love the club’? No! Why should he?

“When the club don’t want you, they’d be the first to throw you in the Under-23s and make you train on your own.

“So I’m all for players getting what they’re contracted to get. I don’t blame him for sitting there and getting every penny.”