World Cup winner Sami Khedira has claimed that one former Arsenal star is the best player he has ever seen.
The German has rubbed shoulders with some truly incredible players over the years.
From the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid to Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain at Juventus, he has had some outstanding teammates.
Khedira, now retired, knows a good player when he sees one, and he has now delivered his verdict on a player Mikel Arteta released on a free a few years ago.
Sami Khedira explains what makes Mesut Ozil the best player he has ever seen
Arsenal signed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 for a then-club-record fee.
The German was arguably the first superstar signing at the Emirates Stadium, and Arsenal fans were really excited to have him on board.
Ozil, in his debut season, helped Arsenal bring an end to their trophy drought by lifting the FA Cup. He won three more during his time at the Emirates.
Khedira knows Ozil very well having played with him for both Real Madrid and the Germany national team over the years. They played over 100 games together.
The former Juventus man has claimed that Ozil is ‘the best player’ he has ever seen, which is a surprise as that puts the Arsenal man above the likes of Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on FIVE, Khedira said: “For me, personal wise, he was the best player I’ve ever seen.
“Technical wise and his vision, you know, his first touch and his movement between the lines, and to understand the game and how to give passes to the strikers – the best I’ve ever seen.”
Ozil’s stats at Arsenal before he was banished by Mikel Arteta
Ozil was a player who constantly divided opinion during his time at Arsenal.
The German was just a joy to watch when he had the ball at his feet. His vision was unbelievable and he also possessed the ability to pick out passes that many others could only dream of.
During his seven-and-a-half years at Arsenal, Ozil played 254 games and directly contributed to 119 goals in all competitions – 44 goals and 75 assists.
He won four FA Cups and two Community Shields at the Emirates and was really loved by Arsenal fans.
However, just a few months after Arteta’s arrival, a disagreement between the two parties saw Ozil being banished from the squad. His Arsenal career was finished at that point.
Then, in January 2021, Arsenal terminated his contract and allowed him to leave the club on a free transfer.