Wenger, Ozil baffled by Perez stance

Baffled ... Arsene Wenger and Mesut Ozil (Getty)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger cannot understand why Real Madrid has been so bitter about its decision to sell Mesut Ozil.

Ozil helps Arsenal past the Black Cats

The German playmaker's £43 million ($73 million) move on transfer deadline day was met with disbelief from several former team-mates at the Bernabeu, with Ozil suggesting he felt no longer central to the plans of Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti after the world-record signing of Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur.


However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has subsequently claimed Ozil in fact asked to leave the Spanish club because "he couldn't handle the pressure at Madrid".
Wenger insists Ozil - who made an impressive contribution in both his Arsenal appearances so far - should have no reason to defend himself.

"Real Madrid made a choice they had to let one player go. In the end it was Ozil, but I think he chose us for many reasons," said Wenger, who had tracked the German international since his time at Werder Bremen.
"One of them was he had the choice to come here before he went to Real Madrid (in 2010), and I had a contact with him from that moment, so maybe it was fate. It was between Madrid and us (then) and this time it was us."

Wenger continued: "I know him (Perez) well and I am surprised by this statement. Honestly, I didn't read what Florentino said.
"I spoke to Ozil about it and he was surprised as well. He said he is not sure that Perez said that completely."
When asked if Ozil looked like a player seeking the easy life away from Madrid, Wenger replied: "No, I have not seen that at all.

"He is 24, he has over 50 caps for Germany and when you play for Germany, you are under a lot of pressure. He won the championship with Real Madrid and that is a club where there is a lot of pressure, but I could not detect that."

Ozil is set to play at his new home for the first time against Stoke City on Monday (AEST), when the Gunners will again be without creative Spaniard Santi Cazorla, but could have midfielder Mikel Arteta in the match-day squad after his recovery from a thigh problem which has so far kept him sidelined this season.