PICTURE: Lukas Podolski welcomes Mesut Ozil to Arsenal

Lukas Podolski has been quick to welcome new signing Mesut Ozil to Arsenal after the Gunners smashed their transfer record to sign the playmaker for £42.5m from Real Madrid.

Podolski, who is currently in Germany with his national team despite currently being sidelined with a hamstring injury, posted a picture (above) of himself and Ozil posing with an Arsenal shirt on Instagram.

Alongside the picture, he wrote: “AHA! Welcome as a new Gunner Bro! So happy that Mesut is joining AFC and we can play together in the club, too. Come on Arsenal! #afc #arsenal #gunner #gunners #özil #podolski #lukaspodolski #poldi #aha #bro”

Podolski is not the only Arsenal player to have expressed their delight at the 24-year-old’s arrival at Emirates Stadium.

Midfielder Aaron Ramsey took to Twitter after the announcement on transfer deadline day to welcome his new team-mate to the club, writing: “Welcome to Arsenal @MesutOzil1088… great signing for us!!”

Jack Wilshere was also thrilled to learn of the Germany international’s arrival, with the midfielder tweeting: “Signing of the summer! Easily! Fantastic player, plays the ‘Arsenal way’. Welcome @MesutOzil1088 absolutely buzzing!”

And striker Olivier Giroud added on Instagram: “Welcome Mesut! #gunnersfamily #thebadge #amazingatmosphere”

Former Gunner Robert Pires also chimed in on Twitter, adding: “Warm welcome to @MesutOzil1088 top class player!! Good transfer from @Arsenal.”

And Team GB star and massive Arsenal fan Mo Farah was delighted: “@MesutOzil1088 Welcome to Arsenal!!! Kiss kiss bang bang….!! #AFC”

Meanwhile, Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was quick to tweet a welcome message to Marouane Fellaini after the Belgium midfielder sealed a £27.5m move from Everton to Old Trafford late on transfer deadline day.

Ferdinand wrote: “@fellainiM welcome to Manchester United, good luck in internationals & come back healthy.”

To which the man himself replied: “@rioferdy5 thank very much and look forward to be with the team…”

Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany also tweeted a cheeky message of congratulations to Fellaini: “Congratulations @fellainiM ! Any countryman doing well, I’m happy for. So now we will be neighbours. Careful I can be quite noisy.. ;-)”

And Fellaini replied to his international team-mate, before paying tribute to Everton: “@VincentKompany thank you Vince…”

“I just want to tell you: THANK YOU Everton and all the Evertonian fans for all these last years. @Everton”