Mesut Ozil changed his mind about Arsenal after Mikel Arteta's problem with him emerged

Former Real Madrid and Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil announced he is retiring from football with immediate effect at the age of 34.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reviews the Crystal Palace win

 had a tumultuous eight years at  where at his peak he was the first name on the teamsheet, loved by the fans and handed the most lucrative contract at the club. In his later life in north London, the World Cup winner was left out of the Gunners' Premier League and Europa League squads and effectively forced out the door of the Emirates. This Wednesday Ozil announced his retirement from professional football, and we look back on some of the key moments from his time in England.

Ozil's downfall at Arsenal began during Unai Emery's reign over the club, with the now Aston Villa boss unhappy with the midfielder's physicality. He told the press in 2019 that the German is "a bit below the top players at the moment" after dropping him from the first team.

Ozil received a boost when Emery was sacked for Mikel Arteta, with the man he played alongside at Arsenal suggesting the midfielder was in his plans.

"He's a massive player for this football club," Arteta told the press in his first conference. "As I said before, what I want is to understand how they are feeling and what they need. It's not so much about what I need.

"You have to understand them. Sometimes with conversation, you get to understand a point. When you understand them, I can take the excuses out of them and focus on the things that are relevant and have an impact on the team on and off the pitch.

"Of course, he's a massive player. I work with him and I know when he clicks, what he can bring to the team. It's my job to get the best out of him, of course."

Yukatel Kayserispor v Medipol Basaksehir - Turkish Super Lig

Mesut Ozil in action in the Turkish Super Lig (Image: Getty)

But things didn't work out for Ozil under Arteta, and he soon found himself out of the first team once again - with the Gunners boss adding insult to injury by removing him from his Premier League and Europa League squads.

Ozil was the club's biggest earner at the time bringing home an eye-watering £350,000 per week.

The German made it very clear he wanted to see out the remains of his contract in north London, even if that meant not kicking a ball for the Gunners all season.

This made things tricky for Arsenal, with many believing Arteta froze out Ozil to encourage him to leave and free up his wage bill.

Like Emery, Arteta wasn't overly impressed with Ozil's physicality, but his main problem with him stemmed from the fact the German struggled to play out wide.

Arteta was in the market for an attacking midfielder who could play a variety of roles and not just the out-of-fashion number 10 position, which is why he signed Willian.

Of course, the Willian transfer left much to be desired, with Arteta actually trying to sign former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho first, but it sent a clear message to Ozil that the Gunners boss was not going to U-turn on his decision to freeze him out.

FBL-ENG-PR-ARSENAL-MAN UTD

Mesut Ozil left Arsenal while Mikel Arteta was in charge (Image: Getty)

As the weeks and months passed by and Ozil watched on as a spectator, he regularly tweeted in response to Arsenal performances.

And one caught the eye as it suggested his stance on Arsenal was finally changing.

Following an Arsenal win over West Brom in 2021, Ozil took to social media to write: "Nice game my boys! Great spirit - three wins in a row. Team looks good with a No.10 like Emile Smith Rowe - the difference maker."

Of course, Ozil's comment may have been aimed at Arteta, pointing out that he was right all along and Arsenal did need a traditional number 10, ie. him.

But it also showed for the first time the midfielder acknowledging life beyond him at Arsenal, with Smith Rowe taking his baton and becoming the new 'Ozil' in the squad.

Sure enough, that very same month Ozil and Arsenal came to an agreement to mutually end his contract, with the German joining Fenerbahce - the team he supported as a child - on a free.

Ozil spent one year with the Turkish giants before joining Istanbul Basaksehir for a season. He has now retired aged 34.

Fenerbah

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