Santi Cazorla: 'Magical Mesut Ozil is a gift - I did not think he would sign for Arsenal'

Spaniard delighted to be playing alongside German playmaker

Mesut Ozil celebrates his second goal for Arsenal against Norwich City last month with Santi Cazorla (GETTY IMAGES)

Santi Cazorla has described Mesut Ozil as ‘magic’, and while he was surprised that the German playmaker decided to leave Real Madrid for Arsenal, he says having him at the Emirates Stadium is a ‘gift’.

“He brings us something different, because he’s all talent, what he does is magic," Cazorla was quoted in Spanish daily newspaper El Pais. "It seems like he’s not there and then he changes a game with one control, one pass.”

Ozil joined Arsenal for a club-record £42.5m on deadline day, and was linked with other teams such as Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United before completing his move to north London.

"It surprised us that he came to Arsenal, because you don’t expect him to leave Madrid and then choose our team. For us he’s a gift."

Arsene Wenger’s side sit top of the Premier League by two points, and despite the 1-0 defeat at Manchester United in their last match, Cazorla says the team have "matured" from last season, when they finished fourth.

“We’ve matured," the winger added. "It’s nice to see yourself top, it gives you strength and confidence, but there’s a long way to go.

"We had to be more consistent and we are now, that is a defect that we have corrected. The team is not as ‘innocent’, we are committing fewer errors.

"Last year, through forgetfulness or lack of concentration, we lost games stupidly and we have learned from that."