Everyone at Arsenal knew Mesut Ozil would stay but it’s as ‘exciting as a new signing’, says Hector Bellerin

Big deal | Bellerin says keeping Ozil is like a new signing for Arsenal
Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images
James Olley5 February 2018

Hector Bellerin insists his Arsenal team-mates always knew Mesut Ozil would sign a new deal and believes the club’s new “electric” front four can rival any attack in the Premier League.

Ozil ended months of speculation over his future by agreeing a contract extension tying him to the club until 2021.

The 29-year-old had just five months left on his previous deal and appeared even more likely to leave following the departure of Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United but instead he agreed terms on a huge new contract worth up to £350,000-a-week.

“Everyone in the training ground, everyone in the team knew he was going to stay,” said Bellerin.

Photo: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“He is a guy that loves London, loves Arsenal and he always gets really angry when things don’t go well so you know how much it means for him to win or lose for this club. So I think everyone in the club, the dressing room was sure.

“It is as exciting as a new signing. To have a player with his qualities and all he brings to the team to sign for a few more years, it is really exciting for Arsenal and for the fans.”

Henrikh Mkhitaryan marked his full debut with three assists as an Aaron Ramsey hat-trick helped Arsenal thrash Everton 5-1 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang marked his first outing since completing a club record £56million from Borussia Dortmund, where he enjoyed a devastating link-up with Mkhitaryan, amassing 121 goals and 80 assists in three years together between 2013 and 2016.

Alongside Ozil and Alex Iwobi – and with Alexandre Lacazette among those watching on from the bench – Bellerin believes the array of attacking options Arsenal now boast is among the best in the country.

“I’m seeing the other players we have up front and even the players we have on the bench who can come on and you think obviously the creativity and electricity they bring into the team is something that is very rare to find in any other team,” he said.

“I think everyone already knew the quality and the capacity the new boys have, the potential. So we are very happy to have them, especially Auba after just a few days of training, he showed his worth.

In Pictures | Arsenal vs Everton | 03/02/2018

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“Everyone who watches football knows that Mkhi is outstanding already. From Dortmund and even at United, he is a player that always gets involved with the ball. For a team like us, he is a great player to have.

“When they had a few seasons at Dortmund, they did really well together and in training already you can see how much they understand each other so it is great to have such a partnership up front.”

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