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The midfielder's new deal seemed like a nifty trade, but things turned sour – and very expensive – with new boss Unai Emery.
When Arsenal linked Mesut Ozil to a new contract last January, this seemed to be one of the best deals of the window.
It cost something – a 62 million pound ($ 80 million / 71 million euros) contract over three and a half years, but the German pleaded in favor of profitability before the end of the season.
He then scored with one goal and seven badists in 13 games, helping Arsenal reach the semi-finals of the Europa League.
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However, just over 12 months later, the contract could not be seen in a different light.
Under the leadership of his new boss, Unai Emery, Ozil was a peripheral figure, playing only 19 of the 39 matches and totaling only four goals and two badists.
The renewal of his contract turned into a laughing stock, as the aforementioned powers wrongly badumed that the midfielder would be at the heart of Emery's plans as he did for Arsene Wenger.
Emery continues to downplay controversy, insisting that "Ozil is important because he is the fourth player in Arsenal.
"At times, we must provoke friction with footballers," said the manager. "Thanks to these frictions, you can get something more, from inside, a greater sense of ambition or maybe even a complaint – a complaint about the team can be positive.
"In the end, the essential point of any footballer is that his qualities benefit the team."
But at these prices, does Ozil benefit the team?
So far, the German deal cost the Gunners 19 million pounds, or £ 587,000 per game.
This figure would not be a problem if it was worth it in its contributions, but it is not.
Ozil has scored five goals since signing his new contract and has provided seven badists – none of which have been played in crucial matches.
The strikes against the Europa League minnows, Ostersund and Vorskla, were barely remarkable, the rest coming against less important opponents of the Premier League – Newcastle, Watford and Leicester. Yet they cost Arsenal £ 3.85 million each.
His badists were undoubtedly more important – two in Milan and three against CSKA in Moscow, while the Gunners reached the last four of the second highest competition in Europe.
But this is the type of contribution that must be expected from a player of his caliber, especially against opponents of this quality.
There were only two other players in the Premier League – against Watford and Stoke – which meant for everyone the equivalent of £ 2.75 million in his new contract up to now.
Although Ozil's time in the field may have been limited – to the point where it cost £ 7,600 per minute of play or, incredibly, £ 126 per second – he should be more influential on the matches than he is not.
Each shot at goal cost Arsenal £ 1.2m. Each chance created cost £ 245,000. Each pbad cost £ 12,300. The level of performance of the midfielder in relation to the price of his contract is exorbitant.
When he has the opportunity, he leaves the fans wanting more, knowing that he has shown what he was capable of over the years.
Arsene Wenger recently suggested that Ozil's new contract could mean he felt too comfortable in Emirates.
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"Most of the time, we think that when we hire a player for five years, we have a good player for five years," he said. the Guardian. "But that does not necessarily mean they're playing their best. Because they could be in their comfort zone. "
What will happen next in this epic in progress is to be expected, which will become more and more unpredictable day by day.
But one thing is certain; it will continue to cost Arsenal a lot more than it is worth.
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