Arsenal fans will be amazed by the physical transformation that Mesut Ozil has undergone since hanging up his boots.
Former Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil retired in March 2023, and now looks barely recognisable compared to the slight figure who used to pull the strings at the Emirates Stadium.
Ozil has a rather strange legacy at Arsenal. His arrival, in a £42.4 million deadline day switch from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022, was a seismic moment in the north London club’s recent history.
At times, the German was an imperious figure, a creative genius who could unpick opposition defences seemingly at will. He played a huge role in ending the trophy drought that Arsenal were suffering in that period of Arsene Wenger’s reign. Ozil helped Arsenal to win the FA Cup in 2014, and he would go on to lift that trophy a further three times in his time at the club. After announcing his retirement, Ozil was hailed by many in the game.
At other times, though, Ozil was a frustrating figure. Big matches often passed him by, or he would be unavailable for them altogether due to the niggling injury issues that plagued the latter part of his Arsenal career.
Arsenal fans will be wowed by new Mesut Ozil look
It was also an ignominious end for the 35-year-old in north London, as his former teammate and new Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, completely lost faith in the player. Ozil left Arsenal in January 2021, after the club opted to terminate his contract six months ahead of its planned expiry.
Now, with the benefit of hindsight, Arsenal fans can look back on Ozil’s time at the club and just remember the good times and magic moments.
The 2014 World Cup winner has now undergone a dramatic transformation. In a video he recently posted on Instagram, Ozil showed off his bulky new physique as he demonstrated one of his intense workout regimes. The man who made 254 appearances for the Gunners is now a far more muscular figure than he was in his playing days.
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