Mesut Ozil once called Mikel Arteta a team-mate at Arsenal and by all accounts the pair got along just fine, but that did not remain the case once the latter become manager.
Arteta, keen to make an impression in what was his first job in senior management, demanded maximum effort from each and every player within his squad at all times. As soon as it became clear he felt Ozil couldn't give him that, the mercurial midfielder was shown the door in brutal fashion.
Arsenal did not exactly give Ozil a dignified exit, instead omitting him from their 25-man Premier League squad in late 2020. It inspired a lengthy statement from the former Germany international, who took to Instagram to take aim at the club he spent seven-and-a-half years at.
