The 4 players Arsenal signed with Mesut Ozil - and how they got away with it
Mesut Ozil has proven to be one of the most controversial players in Arsenal's history, but how did others sign alongside him?
Arsene Wenger bought Ozil from the Emirates in the summer of 2013 after Arsenal fans clamored for a marquee signing for several seasons. The arrival of the German playmaker was greeted with ecstatic scenes, but Ozil only partially lived up to expectations.
But he wasn't the only player to join the club that summer. We take a look at the four other faces who joined the Gunners in the same window as Ozil and how they fared.
Yaya SanogoA cheat code on various iterations of Football Manager, office Guardiolas everywhere were delighted when Arsenal snapped up Sanogo on a free transfer from Auxerre.
Then reality hit. The striker was just 20 when he arrived at the Emirates and immediately seemed too raw for first-team football.
Wenger tried to gently encourage him, calling a performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup "excellent", but Sanogo was the wrong person to send Arsenal back to a title challenge.
Sanogo failed to even get noticed by scoring four goals in an Emirates Cup game against Benfica. The only competitive goal he recorded came in a Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund.
He was loaned out to Crystal Palace, Auxerre and Charlton before being released in 2017.
Sanogo tried but he was almost heroically evil.
Mathieu FlaminiThey say never go back, but Flamini's return to Arsenal went pretty well all things considered.
Bought from AC Milan to give a much-needed boost, the long-haired midfielder received rave reviews for his early performances as Arsenal climbed to the top of the Premier League table 2013-14.
It didn't last - of course it didn't. And Flamini was never likely to provide a long-term solution to Arsenal's well-documented reluctance to replace Patrick Vieira.
He won the FA Cup twice in his second spell at the club, but Flamini was an unused substitute on both occasions. He left for Crystal Palace in 2016 after 93 appearances and five goals.
Semi-AjayiHe may be a solid part of the West Brom first team these days, but Ajayi never stepped onto the pitch during his time at Arsenal.
In fairness, he was definitely signed with more than one eye on the future after arriving from Charlton Athletic following an impressive trial in September 2013.
There were simply too many centre-backs in front of him. Ajayi was benched in four Premier League games in 2014-15 and a League Cup loss to Southampton, but it was clear he would have more opportunities to play elsewhere.
A loan spell at Cardiff City provided that and the Nigerian international made the permanent transfer to Wales in the summer of 2015.
Matt MacyMacey was a 19-year-old rough-and-tumble goalkeeper when Arsenal paid Bristol Rovers £100,000 in compensation for his services in October 2013.
The West Country native was chosen to travel with the first team to a pre-season training camp in Austria and was benched for a league game against West Brom.
Loan spells at Accrington Stanley, Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle followed without Macey making an appearance at Arsenal during his seven years at the club.
Despite this, Macey picked up a 2020 FA Cup winners' medal as part of the side that beat Chelsea 2-1 and was delighted by Kieran Tierney.
Speaking to the Scottish Sun, Tierney said: "He's a genuine guy with a lot of talent. Matt is a hard worker. At Arsenal it wasn't easy for him, not having games.
"But every day in training he was 100 per cent, so he deserves the opportunity at a big club like Hibs."
He joined Scottish Premier League club Hibernian on an initial loan deal in January 2021 before moving north permanently at the end of the 2020-21 season. He was a regular in the Scottish Premiership side last season and was transferred to Championship Luton.
READ NEXT: 15 players you didn't know were at Arsenal: Benayoun, Britton, Gayle…
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name Arsenal's XI from Arsene Wenger's first game as boss?
Mesut Ozil has proven to be one of the most controversial players in Arsenal's history, but how did others sign alongside him?
Arsene Wenger bought Ozil from the Emirates in the summer of 2013 after Arsenal fans clamored for a marquee signing for several seasons. The arrival of the German playmaker was greeted with ecstatic scenes, but Ozil only partially lived up to expectations.
But he wasn't the only player to join the club that summer. We take a look at the four other faces who joined the Gunners in the same window as Ozil and how they fared.
Yaya SanogoA cheat code on various iterations of Football Manager, office Guardiolas everywhere were delighted when Arsenal snapped up Sanogo on a free transfer from Auxerre.
Then reality hit. The striker was just 20 when he arrived at the Emirates and immediately seemed too raw for first-team football.
Wenger tried to gently encourage him, calling a performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup "excellent", but Sanogo was the wrong person to send Arsenal back to a title challenge.
Sanogo failed to even get noticed by scoring four goals in an Emirates Cup game against Benfica. The only competitive goal he recorded came in a Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund.
He was loaned out to Crystal Palace, Auxerre and Charlton before being released in 2017.
Sanogo tried but he was almost heroically evil.
Mathieu FlaminiThey say never go back, but Flamini's return to Arsenal went pretty well all things considered.
Bought from AC Milan to give a much-needed boost, the long-haired midfielder received rave reviews for his early performances as Arsenal climbed to the top of the Premier League table 2013-14.
It didn't last - of course it didn't. And Flamini was never likely to provide a long-term solution to Arsenal's well-documented reluctance to replace Patrick Vieira.
He won the FA Cup twice in his second spell at the club, but Flamini was an unused substitute on both occasions. He left for Crystal Palace in 2016 after 93 appearances and five goals.
Semi-AjayiHe may be a solid part of the West Brom first team these days, but Ajayi never stepped onto the pitch during his time at Arsenal.
In fairness, he was definitely signed with more than one eye on the future after arriving from Charlton Athletic following an impressive trial in September 2013.
There were simply too many centre-backs in front of him. Ajayi was benched in four Premier League games in 2014-15 and a League Cup loss to Southampton, but it was clear he would have more opportunities to play elsewhere.
A loan spell at Cardiff City provided that and the Nigerian international made the permanent transfer to Wales in the summer of 2015.
Matt MacyMacey was a 19-year-old rough-and-tumble goalkeeper when Arsenal paid Bristol Rovers £100,000 in compensation for his services in October 2013.
The West Country native was chosen to travel with the first team to a pre-season training camp in Austria and was benched for a league game against West Brom.
Loan spells at Accrington Stanley, Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle followed without Macey making an appearance at Arsenal during his seven years at the club.
Despite this, Macey picked up a 2020 FA Cup winners' medal as part of the side that beat Chelsea 2-1 and was delighted by Kieran Tierney.
Speaking to the Scottish Sun, Tierney said: "He's a genuine guy with a lot of talent. Matt is a hard worker. At Arsenal it wasn't easy for him, not having games.
"But every day in training he was 100 per cent, so he deserves the opportunity at a big club like Hibs."
He joined Scottish Premier League club Hibernian on an initial loan deal in January 2021 before moving north permanently at the end of the 2020-21 season. He was a regular in the Scottish Premiership side last season and was transferred to Championship Luton.
READ NEXT: 15 players you didn't know were at Arsenal: Benayoun, Britton, Gayle…
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name Arsenal's XI from Arsene Wenger's first game as boss?
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