Arsenal transfer news - Mesut Ozil backed to thrive at Fenerbahce by club legend Arsene Wenger

Mesut Ozil has been backed by his former boss Arsene Wenger to shine in Turkey. The Germany international joined Arsenal under Wenger from Real Madrid in 2013 and helped them win three FA Cups but has not played for the club since March and has been frozen out by current manager Mikel Arteta.

German playmaker Mesut Ozil must be desperate to play football again and can thrive in a welcoming environment at Turkish club Fenerbahce, former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said.

Ozil travelled to Turkey on Sunday to finalise his move to Fenerbahce after saying goodbye to his Arsenal team mates at the club's training ground.

With Ozil's move on the verge of completion, Wenger has backed the 32-year-old to do well in Turkey.

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"I'm sure that he's frustrated at not having played. His hunger must be absolutely (enormous) to play football again," Wenger told beIN SPORTS.

"Mesut is a guy who needs a warm environment and I believe he will find that more than anywhere else in Turkey.

"Overall, he can provide the balls that the strikers need to win football games. If they do that well, they have a good chance of winning the league."

Wenger believes Ozil's short-term impact on Fenerbahce will depend on his fitness levels, having been out of favour for so long.

"If his basic fitness in training is good, it will only take him three or four games to be at his best," the Frenchman said.

"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."

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Ozil will be missed by the Gunners despite not playing him at all in the last ten months.

"Mesut is in Turkey going through the medical that has to be completed," he said.

"There is still some paperwork that has to be done but it doesn't matter - Mesut's quality will be missed.

"He's a very special player who has a big history in this football club and if he ends up doing the deal when it happens I will give my clear opinion on that."

Additional reporting from Reuters.

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