Mesut Ozil sent a signal that he wants to be Arsenal’s main man – by taking over the No 10 shirt Jack Wilshere vacated when he left on loan for Bournemouth.
‘It just went free, and I definitely want it,’ said Ozil when he was asked about the Arsenal No 10 shirt inan interview with German newspaper Express.
Ozil recently claimed the same number with the German national team after Lukas Podolski announced his international retirement.
‘I’d wanted the number for years but so did Lukas Podolski. And he got to keep it because he had more caps than I did. Now I’ve pounced.
‘The number fits me and my position: play-maker.’
Ozil said the number meant a lot to him, as it put him in a lineage of sorts.
‘It’s my favourite number. Football legends like Zinedine Zidane, Diego Maradona and Pele wore that number on their backs. I’m really very happy to have it.’
The German play-maker said he was ready to resume talks with Arsenal on a new contract.
‘I’ve got a deal that takes me through 2018. We’ve had talks, but we broke them off during the Euros so I could concentrate on the national team. Let’s see where the negotiations go from here.’
Ozil went on to say he was happy in London and appreciated the support he got from the Arsenal fans.
‘They like me and the way I play football…it’s a lot of fun playing in England.’
Still, Ozil added he wouldn’t rule out a return to the Bundesliga at some stage, and said he could ‘definitely’ imagine playing in the United States before his career was up.
‘My fans know I like to spend my holidays in Los Angeles. It’s an exciting city – one of my favourites.’
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