Arsenal’s ‘spectacular’ Mesut Özil is a perfect fit, says Cesc Fàbregas

Cesc Fabregas has hailed Arsenal’s “spectacular” club-record £42.5m signing Mesut Ozil as a perfect fit for the club.

The Barcelona midfielder remains a firm Arsenal supporter despite leaving north London in a £25.5m switch to the La Liga champions in August 2011.

Fabregas, who spent eight years at the Gunners, is familiar with Ozil’s talent having come up against the former Real Madrid playmaker in numerous El Clásicos since his return to Spain.

And the former Gunners captain believes Ozil, who joined Arsenal on transfer deadline day, perfectly complements the club’s other talented playmakers, such as Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere.

“Spectacular [signing]. If you have the chance to sign Özil, you can’t let it pass you by,” Fabregas told The Guardian.

“He fits Arsenal perfectly. It doesn’t matter if you already have seven or eight players with a similar style, because they’ll understand each other perfectly. [Jack] Wilshere sees football the same way, [Aaron] Ramsey, [Santi] Cazorla, [Tomas] Rosicky.”

He added: “I think he’s going to enjoy it enormously. He’s the man who has to make the difference in the final third. His last pass is brilliant, he’ll get more space and with space he kills you. He’s going to score more goals himself because of that space.

“There’s no one better than him for that mediapunta role. In England opponents follow you, but if a player comes out to you it is easier to play a quick one-two and go beyond him into space.

“In a tactical-defensive sense, it is much more calculated in Spain; it’s harder to score goals than in England.”

Fabregas also stressed the importance of Arsenal’s pacey forward Theo Walcott, comparing the England international to Barcelona’s World Cup and European champion Pedro.

“The only player who’s maybe different is [Theo]Walcott, but you also need that type of player because it is true that at the end of a move, after that pass, pass, pass, you need a Pedro: someone who will get behind the opposition, who gives depth, stretches the attacks, and seeks out the space.

“You need a Walcott or a [Robin] Van Persie, whose movement is incredible.”