Arsenal transfer news - Lukas Podolski delighted to see ex-teammate Mesut Ozil join him in Turkey

ByEurosport

Updated 20/01/2021 at 15:59 GMT

Lukas Podolski was a teammate of Mesut Ozil under Arsene Wenger at the Gunners and also for the Germany national team. Podolski is pleased to see Ozil join him in Turkey from Arsenal but also holds strong opinions on how north London club have handled the 32-year-old's controversial departure to Fenerbahce.

Lukas Podolski says he is delighted to see Mesut Ozil in Turkey and that he can get back to playing football again.

Ozil joined Arsenal in 2013 and went on to win three FA Cups, ending their nine-year trophy drought.

But he has been frozen out at the Gunners by manager Mikel Arteta since March last year and has finally secured a move to the Turkish Super Lig club Fenerbahce after months of uncertainty.

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His former Arsenal and Germany teammate Podolski, who currently plays for Antalyaspor in Turkey, is looking forward to seeing Ozil in action.

“I am delighted that Mesut will play for us in Turkey in the future," he told Sport Bild.

"He is an asset to the league and at 32 years of age is still in his prime footballing age. It happens again and again in the Super Lig that great player names are presented by the club bosses in order to satisfy the fans.

“It was really a shame that it ended like this. No professional is satisfied if he is not allowed to play.

Now Mesut can finally do what we all love again: play football.

Podolski was critical of Ozil's exclusion at Arsenal back in November. He said: "I generally think with a player who is now in his sixth or seventh year with the club, to kick him completely out of the squad, that’s absolutely not okay.

“He’s shown his class on the pitch, he’s never been negative towards his colleagues or the club.

“Arsenal as a club have not looked positive in this situation over the last months.

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OZIL MADE ARSENAL WIN AGAIN

Ozil's Arsenal career may not have coincided with the club's most successful years in the Premier League, but he helped a club deprived of trophies win silverware once more, showed a large amount of loyalty and paved the way for more expensive signings.

Following his move to Fenerbahce, his Emirates Stadium career deserves more credit than it is given.

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil celebrates after the FA Cup Final between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on May 30, 2015 in London, England.

Image credit: Getty Images

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