'Will be a Gunner for life': Mesut Ozil pens emotional note to fans post Arsenal exit

After spending nearly eight years at the Emirates, mid-fielder Mesut Ozil bid adieu to the Gunners in an emotional note on Sunday after sealing his move to Turkey. Taking to Twitter, Ozil shared his note titled - #TheAssist - where he looked back on his journey with Arsenal since 2013 and remarked that he would be a 'Gunner for life'. During his time at the Emirates, Ozil appeared in over 250 games where he scored 44 goals and 71 assists. 

In his note, the German mid-fielder also thanked for former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for placing his trust in him and added that North London will always remain his home. 

"It is difficult for me to put into words the love I feel for this club and the fans. How could I possibly describe 8 years of gratitude in a single letter? Whilst I may be no longer playing for the club, I will continue to support them in every club they play. I will be a Gunner for life - no doubt about that. Now more than ever we must all be behind the team. This season is a tough one for every team in the Premier League, and that is why we must all back the current squad and staff no matter the results," Ozil wrote. 

"It might be the end of a chapter, but my connection with this amazing club will never fade. It might be goodbye for now, but it's not goodbye forever," he concluded. 

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Read Ozil's full letter here: 

On the same day, Arsenal also issued a statement thanking the German for his contributions. Club manager Mikel Arteta highlighted Ozil's 'undisputed' achievements and said that it was a privilege to play alongside him and then coach him. 

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"Mesut was at the heart of many great moments for this club over the years, including those three FA Cup final wins. These successes will always be part of our history. We thank Mesut and wish him all the best with Fenerbahce,” Arteta said. 

Ozil moves to Turkey

After being left out of the club's Premier League and Europa League squads at the start of the season, Mesut Ozil left the Arsenal bench to join Turkey's second-most decorated club Fenerbahce. The signing was announced by the Turkish club on Sunday evening as the club and Ozil reached a formal agreement. The German midfielder has not played for the Gunners since March 2020 after his infamous fall out with manager Mikel Arteta. 

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Signed in 2013 for a then-club record fee of about £42 million from Real Madrid, Ozil had played a crucial role under Arsene Wenger in ending Arsenal's trophy drought, winning the FA Cup in his first season. However, he found himself on the bench more often under Wenger's replacement Unai Emery and then again by Mikel Arteta, who recently said that the player's omission from the squad was for 'football reasons.'

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