Arsenal’s record signing Mesut Ozil may have been criticised for inconsistent form with huge emphasis placed on his £40M price tag, but according to club vice-captain Mikel Arteta, those who singled him out and judged so negatively last season were unjustified.
Last summer German midfielder Ozil signed to Arsenal from Real Madrid in a show-stopping £40M deal that marked the Gunners’ most expensive player purchase in history.
Since his arrival a year ago, the 25-year-old had been subject to a whole host of criticism for poor performances and lacklustre effort, and now his Spanish team-mate Arteta has jumped to his defence.
The Spaniard backed the German to silence his critics next season by showing the world he is through his settling-in period and finding his feet as a quality consistent Arsenal player.
When questioned about Ozil at the Arsenal PUMA kit launch, Arteta told reporters: “When you pay £40 million for someone there are always going to be critics.
“It’s been over the top because Arsenal don’t usually spend that kind of money, so expectations are really high.
“He’s never been in that situation before but he coped with it really well, he took it on the chin, he tried really hard and he was always in a position to help the team. People forget how well he started and how many good moments he gave us during the season.
“When you cost £40m, people look at you with different eyes but Mesut is really relaxed. He’s been under big pressure, but hopefully next season he can be even better for us.”