ARSENE WENGER HAS hailed the “genius” of Mesut Ozil after the Arsenal outcast confirmed he was leaving the Premier League club to join Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
The former Arsenal boss signed the German playmaker in 2013 but the relationship has turned sour under current manager Mikel Arteta.
The 32-year-old, who is the club’s highest earner, on a reported weekly salary of £350,000, has not played since March 2020.
But Wenger said the former Germany international, who won the World Cup in 2014, was a rare talent.
“Mesut is like if you imagine an orchestra in music,” the Frenchman told beIN Sports Turkey.
“He’s a guy who plays the ball at the right time. The timing of his pass is exceptional, but the creativity of his pass is as well.
“In every situation he confronts, he gives the right answer and that is genius.”
Ozil has claimed he is in good physical condition despite his lengthy period on the sidelines but Wenger said his former player would take a few games to build up his “competitive fitness”.
“If his basic fitness in training is good, it will only take him three or four games to be at his best,” said Wenger.
“The quality that he has is… vision in depth. He sees quickly, he decides quickly and he realises quickly what he sees. That is a quality you don’t find too often in our game.”
Wenger said Ozil would strengthen Fenerbahce’s bid to win the Turkish league for the first time since 2013/14.
“I’m sure that he’s frustrated at not having played,” he said. “His hunger must be absolutely (enormous) to play football again.
“Mesut is a guy who needs a warm environment and I believe he will find that more than anywhere else in Turkey.”
Ozil, who is of Turkish origin, was a key member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning side but after what he labelled “racist” attacks following the holders’ first-round exit at the 2018 tournament, he ended his international career.
Fenerbahce, one of Istanbul’s three big clubs, are currently second in the Turkish Super Lig behind Besiktas.
Can’t even comment… It was. Just so poor…
Poor yea , conditions didn’t help ! Your clubmate had a good game in the centre
Thought him everything he knows skippy… Didn’t teach him everything I know tho :-)
Good win on the road for Clare today.It was a difficult one without a number of key players, conditions and with wexford beaten by so much last wk end they were always going to be difficult to beat in wexford.
Whatever about conditions, first touch very poor both sides. Only positive for clare is they have players to come back.
So do Wexford…
But they don’t have a hurler of the year to come back along with podge Collins
As a wexford man,beginning to really get fed up when we can’t beat a top level team.apart from Clare two years ago,Waterford Limerick cork have all come to wexford park in a do or die match and we are coming out on the wrong side of them
How come wexford can’t seem to beat a so called top level team?apart from Clare in 2014,waterford cork and limerick have all travelled to wexford park and came out on top in so called do or die matches.
Maybe because they’re not good enough to do so eh?.. Just a thought….
How come wexford are struggling to beat any sort of top level team.we beat Clare in 2014 when they were all ireland champions but since then waterford limerick and cork have all travelled to their own backyard in so called do or die matches and have failed every time.
Wexford just haven’t got lads up to the standard. Tis alright winning at under 21 Leinster and getting to the All Ireland final, it takes three to four years to blossom into senior, and the Limerick team of the early 2000′s shows that may not even happen either.