• Premier League

Ozil would have 'joined Arsenal for free'

ESPN staff
September 9, 2013
Ozil backed to be a success

Mesut Ozil has revealed he would have "joined Arsenal for free" despite becoming the club's record signing in the summer transfer window.

The Gunners secured the German international on transfer deadline day for £42.4 million from Real Madrid, ending a dismal transfer window which saw them miss out on a number of their major targets.

But with barely hours to go before the closing of the window, manager Arsene Wenger was able to secure one of the biggest transfers of the summer, convincing Ozil to exit the Spanish capital and join Arsenal's quest to end its long trophy drought.

And the 24-year-old revealed that Wenger was the major influence in his move to The Emirates, admitting the boss had made him realise his Madrid career was over.

"Arsene told me exactly how he saw me, how he wanted to use me, what he expected of me," Ozil told Die Welt.

"In some way, that conversation flicked a switch in me and made me realise what I had lost at Madrid - transparency, trust, respect.

"I would have even joined Arsenal for free."

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