Mesut Ozil's Arsenal Transfer Was Bad Mistake by Real Madrid, Says Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp has hailed the “technically perfect” Mesut Ozil, claiming Arsenal are no longer a team that rely solely on Santi Cazorla to produce magic in the final third.

Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund side head to Arsenal on Tuesday for the first of a Champions League double-header between the two teams.

He believes Ozil has transformed the Gunners’ fortunes and simultaneously harmed Madrid’s ambitions for the current season. Sky Sports provides the quotes:

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This team missed one player and maybe it can be Mesut Ozil.

He is technically perfect, he is fast and has developed a drive to goal. He is very intelligent and can play in any team. He has everything, is a natural and it works very well.

That is why it was a great idea from Arsenal and not so from the one team who let him go. One year ago no one thought it was possible they could play brilliant football without (Santi) Cazorla.

Now they have some injuries and still look strong with (Aaron) Ramsey and (Jack) Wilshere, (Tomas) Rosicky is back in shape and (Olivier) Giroud, he is one of the best strikers.

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Klopp is well-placed to judge the footballing merits of Arsenal, having earned rave reviews for moulding a Dortmund side that passed their way to the Champions League final last season.

His analysis of Ozil’s impact on both Arsenal and Madrid is a timely one.

The German has been outstanding since arriving in North London, scoring three times and creating four goals for his teammates in seven league and European outings, per ESPNFC.

As a result, Arsenal top both the Premier League and their Champions League group, raising hopes they can end their eight-year trophy drought this season.

By contrast, Madrid have looked shaky in La Liga where they currently sit three points off top spot, lucky to earn injury-time wins over Levante and Elche.

The link between midfield and attack does not appear to have been established in Ozil’s absence, although the imminent return of Xabi Alonso from injury, reported by Goal.com, should improve that area of Madrid’s game.

Nevertheless, Ozil is earning widespread admirers and has another chance to do so when he takes on Klopp’s Dortmund side.

The Bundesliga outfit are not in great form, having recently lost 2-0 to Borussia Monchengladbach before limping past Hannover 1-0 on home soil.

Injuries have disturbed the spine of the team, so Ozil is likely to find himself up against a midfield base of Sven Bender and Nuri Sahin—the latter of whom has much to learn about the defensive side of the game.

Sahin likes time on the ball to pick out ambitious passes and lacks the athleticism to block the type of gaps Ozil loves to fill.

Klopp will be banned from the touchline for the game, but he may just get a superb view of another Ozil masterclass from the stands.