Arsenal have been rejuvenated under Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard rewriting both his own and the club's story in north London during his tenure so far.
The former Gunners midfielder was hired as manager in December 2019, experiencing initial lows to build the foundations for the highs that have been present at the club in recent years.
Last season, Arsenal finished in second place, their highest league finish since the 2015/16 campaign under Arsene Wenger, and subsequently fired the club back into the Champions League after a six-year absence from the competition.
In that time, the 41-year-old has delivered two Community Shield prizes and one FA Cup, with last term having those at the Emirates dreaming of their first title win since the immaculate 2004 unbeaten season.
The Gunners did of course finish just shy of treble winners Manchester City, however faith was officially restored for the Reds, with such form subsequently prompting a strong streak of activity in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal got their business done swiftly, acquiring the services of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya, as well as smashing their transfer record to welcome £105m midfielder Declan Rice to the fold.
It was a sufficient summer in terms of adding reinforcements to the squad, leaving deadline day quiet in contrasting fashion to years before.
Back in 2014, deadline day sparked a moment of euphoria at the Emirates, as it was announced in the dying hours of the window that Arsenal had signed Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil.
The deal that was worth £42.4m was hugely significant for Wenger’s side back then, as it marked the club’s new transfer record fee, smashing the previous highest fee by £27.4m, via BBC.
How good was Mesut Ozil?
At the time of his arrival, Ozil was renowned as being one of the best playmakers in Europe, having succeeded with Los Blancos – for whom he registered 81 assists in just 159 games – and cementing himself as a favourite in the German national team.
The then 24-year-old added glamour to north London in what was the biggest signing of the Emirates era at the time, making fans instantly fall in love with his on-field charm.
It didn’t take long for the Gelsenkirchen-born wizard to make his mark in the Premier League, registering his first assist on his debut against Sunderland.
It was the first of many assists for the “assist king”, as branded by COPA90, who recorded a total of 79 assists in all competitions over his 254 appearances for Arsenal.
Ozil matched his career high of 19 assists in a single league season in the 2015/16 Premier League season, a feat he had pulled off twice before for Madrid in the 2011/12 and 2010/11 La Liga campaigns.
Despite being a mammoth creator during his time in north London, the German was heavily criticised for inconsistency, with club legend Michael Thomas insisting that he “could have been so much more”, had he not struggled with “not enough consistency”, via CaughtOffside.
Things for Ozil deteriorated after Wenger’s departure, where he fell down the pecking order under Unai Emery, and even further under Arteta, who didn’t see the former Galactico in his plans.
In his final season at Arsenal, the German made only 18 appearances in the Premier League, scoring on one occasion to bring his time in north London to an end.
In 2021, the German said his farewell to Arsenal, with his tenure at the club splitting opinion as to whether he did enough, and whether he lived up to his price tag that was deemed high at the time.
With Ozil’s playing style being so unique, it’s difficult to base his time with the Gunners by forming comparisons, with not many posing to be as creative as him, despite perhaps adding more in other areas.
However, his Emirates legacy can be used in discussion to determine his career in the Premier League, with one name prevailing as a figure that has the ability to leave behind a more significant legacy than the German.
Can Martin Odegaard surpass Mesut Ozil?
Deployed in an identical position as a central attacking midfielder, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been one of Arteta’s most important players since his arrival as manager.
Like Ozil, the Norwegian made the move from Madrid to Islington, sealing the £34m switch to the club in 2021 after succeeding on an initial loan spell the season prior.
Signed by Real Madrid aged 16, Odegaard needed little introduction to the heights of his talents, showcasing them enough to earn a permanent move to the Premier League after his loan cameo.
Lauded as being “really special” by journalist James Benge, the 24-year-old was named Arsenal captain last summer, and has shone in taking on the responsibility at such a young age.
Last campaign, the Norway international had a hand in 23 goals in 37 appearances, leading the way for the Gunners to compete in the title race with City.
While Ozil made his fair share of goal contributions over the years at Arsenal, it was frequently argued whether he was doing enough to warrant his reputation, which was a fair topic to raise as he tended to slip under the radar when it mattered.
There was some confusion with Odegaard being named captain considering his age and time at the club, however it can’t be argued that the midfielder has stepped up to the challenge, being a motivational source on the pitch.
What the Norwegian brings is that need for someone to rise up and take control when times are tough, a trait that the German failed to take up consistently.
Arsenal have been blessed to have had two attacking talents as efficient as both Ozil and Odegaard, however now that the former Fenerbahce whiz’s time at the club has ended, the opportunity is there for the 24-year-old to surpass his heights.
With reference to legacies, the club captain has the opportunity to guide the Gunners to silverware untouched by Ozil during his time in England, with him frequently being at the heart of positive things under Arteta.
The keys are there for the Norwegian to open the doors left locked by the German during his time at the Emirates, with consistency the firm difference between what can make a player unforgettable instead of memorable.
