• Premier League

Cesc stunned by Ozil's Arsenal move

ESPN staff
September 4, 2013
Fabregas' former teammate at Arsenal, Theo Walcott has hailed the signing

Cesc Fabregas believes Arsenal have pulled off a significant transfer coup by signing Real Madrid's "second-best player" in Mesut Ozil.

Arsenal sealed a sensational £42.5 million move for Ozil late on Monday evening with Arsene Wenger turning around what had been a frustrating summer by smashing his previous transfer record - the £17.5 million paid for Jose Antonio Reyes in 2004 - by a distance.

Ozil's former team-mates at Madrid have expressed their shock and sadness at the move, with Fabregas also admitting he was surprised.

Fabregas spent eight years at Arsenal before returning to Barcelona in 2011, and thinks his former club have landed an incredible talent - who was second only to Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at the Bernabeu.

He said: "I was really surprised by Ozil's departure. He seemed to me the second-best player at Madrid, after Cristiano (Ronaldo).

"He'll be great for Arsenal."

Ronaldo has reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction with Madrid's decision to let Ozil - who scored 19 goals in 105 La Liga appearances - go to Arsenal.

"The sale of Ozil is very bad news for me," Ronaldo is quoted as saying by Spanish newspaper AS.

"He was the player who best knew my moves in front of goal… I'm angry about Ozil leaving."

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