Ozil: "I lost both trust and respect at Real Madrid"

Özil said he had not had a lot of time to dwell on his move to Arsenal during the past week, although he confirmed that he has already noticed some differences between both clubs: "I felt a lack of honesty, trust and respect," said the German.

In an interview published in 'Die Welt', Özil appeared pleased with his move to Arsenal but refused to discuss his transfer fee. "I don't know anything about the numbers involved. I would have joined Arsenal for free," he said.

He talked of the telephone conversation he had with Arsene Wenger last Monday. "In some way, it just all made sense to me. I realised: 'hey, what he just told me is exactly what I've been missing at Real: honesty, trust and respect'. He told me exactly what he saw in me, where he wanted me to play and what he expected from me."

Özil assured that Sergio Ramos was not the only player to speak up in his defence: "Other players have also spoken up, publicly and directly to me." The German texted all of them to thank them for all their support and he wants to call a couple of them when he has time and things have settled a bit.

He explained that he has yet to unpack his bags and that it is his father who is organising the move to London. He is staying in a hotel for a while.

His aim right now is to work hard on winning: "I want to win silverware, that's why I'm doing all of this, that's my mentality." If he learnt one thing at Real, it was to "give my all." I don't arrive at a tournament thinking to myself: the goal is to reach the semi-final or the final. When I play, I play to win," he said.