Arsenal’s star winger, Bukayo Saka, has paid a stunning and illuminating tribute to former goalkeeper Ozil’s managing partner, naming the German playman as the best player he ever played alongside.
The approval from the 24-year-old, who has shared the pitch with the likes of Harry Kane, Reben Rice, Phil Foden, in England, emphasizes the unique wisdom of taking the midfider organizer.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5, Saka was asked who is the best player he has achieved.
The Arsenal winger replied: “Probably Mesut Ozil. Top quality player, man. It was just great, it’s hard to describe.”
Who is the best player Bukayo Saka ever played with? ?#Bbcfootball #AFC #Thrielions pic.twitter.com/fh3m4rqks9
– BBC 5 Live Sport (@5Livesport) November 16, 2025
This idea perfectly captures the popularity of many young players who have made a midfielder, who has a rare vision and creativity that is often not seen in the Premier League.
Saka played 17 games alongside Mesut Ozil during the early stages of his senior career, clearly leaving a lasting impression of a sheer, understated quality.
Mesut Ozil’s time at Arsenal
Ozil, who joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013, started to resemble Elite-Level PlayMaking.
Despite the end of his spell in North London, his senior years provided Arsenal fans with some unforgettable moments of football art.
During his tenure, Ozil registered 44 goals and 77 assists in 254 appearances for the club in all competitions.
| The player | Visibility | Goals | It helps | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesut Ozil | 254 | 44 | The 77 | All Competitions |
Highlighting his exceptional output was his Premier League season, where he recorded an astonishing 19 assists in the league, second only to Thierry Henry and Astament in Europe’s best form at the time.
He also helped the club secure four cup titles, breaking their nine-year drought.
Ozil’s political views and the end of his Arsenal career
While mesut Ozil’s quality in management has never been in question, his career at Arsenal has ultimately been affected by on-field controversies.
The German domestic player publicly criticized China’s human rights policies in 2018.
The situation escalated after he posted a controversial post on social media in December 2019, talking about the fight against the persecution of Uighur Muslims in China.
Arsenal quickly moved to retract the comment, saying the content was a personal opinion “that the club” remains committed to a policy of non-political involvement. “
Given the major commercial interests of the Premier League and the Club in China, the comments dragged on and backfired, including the cancellation of the club’s game broadcast by Chinese State Television.
Deposition of the next High star
What is mesut ozil doing now?
Since retiring from professional football in March 2023 after the last spell with İstanbul Başakşakşehir, Mesut Ozil has evolved into a new chapter focused on politics in Turkey and many business activities.
Ozil, who is of Turkish origin, has officially entered the political arena in Turkey, joining the Central Council of the Justice Resup and Development Party (AKP) in 2025.
This move follows his close relationship with Turkish President Repep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Beyond politics, the former German state is following business interests.
He continues to be involved with his ESPORTS team, which originally started in 2018. In addition, Ozil has secured a stake in the Mexican football club, Club Necaxa.
Ozil has also devoted time to physical transformation since his retirement, spending time in the gym building his body, which is a noticeable difference from his playing days.
