How will we remember Mesut Ozil's legacy at Arsenal?

How will we remember Mesut Ozil's legacy at Arsenal as the German midfielder departs the Premier League to sign for Turkish side Fenerbahce

By Adam Le Roux

Well, that’s that then. After all the talk, all the hearsay, all the moaning, all the groaning, all the will he, won’t he, and everything else in the last six months…. Mesut Ozil has left the building. 

After seven years at the Emirates the German midfielder has packed his bags and set sail, with a move to Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce his escape route out of London. 

The writing had been on the wall for a while for the 32-year-old, with Mikel Arteta leaving him out of his Premier League and Europa League squads ahead of the new campaign, leaving him no option but to look for somewhere else to play his football. 

From being the star of the show to persona non grata, Ozil has had more ups and downs in the past year than most players have in their whole careers, with his departure from the club not befitting of a player who helped the Gunners to three FA Cup victories in his time in red and white. 

He could have fans pulling their hair out one minute, and celebrating joyously in the stands the next, such was his unpredictable nature making him one of the most divisive players the club has ever had. 

But looking back, will the departing playmaker be full of regret from his time as a Gunner, and how will the fans remember him - because love him or loathe him, there is no denying he will be a player that Arsenal supporters never forget. 

Ozil: the one that got away 

There will be plenty of people that will be glad to see the back of Mesut Ozil, and for a whole plethora of reasons you can’t blame them. 

Firstly, regardless of his abilities or attitude on the field, it feels like this has been the one topic of conversation hanging around the Emirates like a bad smell for well over a year now, and to finally have that monkey off the back is something of a light relief. 

Now we can talk about the future, the prospects of the young talents at the club, the best partnership at the back, is Kieran Tierney the best player in the world…. All the things we want to talk about, without having the whereabouts of a certain German midfielder lingering around in our minds. 

To be able to focus on the football for a bit, however good or bad it may be, and not focus on a bloke sitting under an umbrella in the stands, or looking apathetic while his teammates give their all on the pitch.  

Ozil’s move feels like a monumental day for Arsenal Football Club, as it shows the intent of Arteta in getting rid of the big names that have been on the books, as he shows no sentimentality with his ruthless wielding of the axe. 

But this is exactly what is needed for the Gunners to turn a corner and get back amongst the big time, with a fresh start with a fresh squad and a fresh ethos giving hope for the future rather than dwelling on the past. 

There was once a time when Ozil was the new kid on the block, and hopes were high about what the hotly-touted talent would produce when he made the switch from the Spanish capital to the English one. 

After claiming the most assists in La Liga for three successive years, the midfield maestro was hot property in the summer of 2013, with Arsenal elated to capture the signature of a player who had teed up teammates for 29 goals for Real Madrid the season before. 

And in the early years, the signs looked good, as he took to the ground running in the Premier League, registering five goals and nine assists in his first season in the English game - looking like good value for money for his £42.5m price tag. 

An FA Cup medal crowned off a momentous first year in a red and white shirt for the German, as the Gunners overcame Hull City 3-2 in a classic final at Wembley, before repeating the feat a year later with a 4-0 win over Aston Villa. 

But despite the highs of the silverware, there were often lows for Ozil, with injuries beginning to blight his Arsenal career, forcing him in and out of the team. 

But when he was good, he was really good, which he showcased in the 2015/16 season, where he led the way with 19 assists to his name, as well as bagging six goals himself, leading the Gunners to a second-placed finish behind Leicester City. 

The vision, the creativity, the artistic licence he possessed, it was on another level for that campaign, with Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez feeding off his deft touches and pinpoint passes to net over 40 goals between them in all competitions. 

But when he was bad, he was really bad. And as the Gunners began their demise into Premier League also-rans, rather than title favourites year after year, there was one person who seemed to be getting the blame more than most, and he was often found in the final third with his hands on his hips. 

And that is the thing that seemed to irk Arsenal fans more than anything; the playmaker’s attitude. He could have had all the technical ability in the world, but if he isn’t going to track back and work hard for the team, he is going to be left out on his ear, as he found out to his detriment. 

This is a fantasy brought up on the brawn and tenacity of Tony Adams, of Martin Keown, of Patrick Vieira, players who gave their all for the badge, and would trample anything in their way to get the vital three points on a Saturday afternoon. 

So to see a player seemingly throw in the towel when things don’t go their way, and see their shoulders drop and head go down isn’t something that they are used to, and they certainly don’t expect it from one of their own. 

And after that superb 2015/16 season, and possibly the season after that where he mustered eight goals and nine assists, the downbeat Ozil is the one we have been so used to seeing, and in truth, he hasn’t looked happy for well over two years. 

He may have helped the Gunners to three FA Cup victories in his stint as an Arsenal player, but why wasn’t it more? Why has he only managed to score ten goals in the last three seasons? Why did the performances drop off? Why was he public enemy number one? 

So many questions left unanswered, which sums up Mesut Ozil more than anything. 

He got what being a Gooner is all about 

Say what you like about him on the pitch, but off of it Ozil has proved himself to be one of the most down to earth footballers about, and this is what lends himself to the Arsenal following just as much as his footballing abilities. 

He understands Arsenal, he understands the fanbase, and just how much every result means to the supporters who follow them week in, week out. 

When the club were set to offload the expenses of Jerry Quy - the man who had been inside the Gunnersaurus costume for 27 years - it was Ozil who stepped in and offered to pay his wages. 

Yes, to a multi-millionaire it may not be a great deal of cash, but it is just a sign of the humble nature of the German, just as the food project and donations to charity he pledges are. 

Sometimes it is not just about the goals scored and assisted that can make you a legend at a club, sometimes it is way more than that. 

There are definitely valid reasons why people would say that the 32-year-old has wasted the prime years of his career at Arsenal, and there is no denying a move away may have benefitted him sooner. 

But that does not excuse the way he has been treated in the latter stages of his career as an Arsenal player - he may not have won the league titles of legends of the past, but he definitely holds a place in history at the club - and he should leave the Emirates with his head held high. 

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