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Mesut Ozil 'wasn't the same' following the departure of Santi Cazorla at Arsenal, reveals his agent.
Cazorla leaving the Gunners in 2018 hit Ozil hard, having created a brilliant dynamic in midfield at the club.
The German was considered one of Arsenal's key players during his stint and would often link up with the Spanish ace to devastating effect.
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But when Cazorla left England to return to Spain, Ozil lost his place in the team under Unai Emery then Mikel Arteta, who froze him completely out of the squad.
Ozil's agent Erkut Sogut has now claimed that there is a parallel between Cazorla's exit and Ozil's decline at Arsenal.
"He had Santi for a while and he loved him. I think probably one of his most favourite players," he told AFTV.
"Mesut is a smart, intelligent player, he reads the game and he is always looking. He loves to play with intelligent players."
Sogut added: "If you’re a No.10 the one in front of you and the one behind you, a good striker and good No.6 who cleans it up and sees you and plays you the ball so you can give the final pass.
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"Santi is very smart, very intelligent and has great technique and that suited Mesut a lot to have him behind him.
"When Santi left you could see it wasn’t the same any more, right away it changed."
Ozil was a regular in the first six seasons at Arsenal. Though he lost his way in 2019 before leaving London for Turkey, where he signed for Fenerbahce.
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But he's failed to revive his career at Fenerbahce and has even been excluded from their squad.
His former Arsenal teammate Nacho Monreal has since suggested that the player had 'problems with everyone'.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Mesut Ozil, Arsenal, Football, Santi Cazorla