Former Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil has retired from professional football at the relatively young age of 34, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano on Twitter.

A fantastic player in his prime, the German midfielder was best known for his unrivalled passing ability and penchant for racking up assists. Fewer players have had greater vision than the ‘assist king’.

Outside of Arsenal, Ozil played for a number of reputable clubs, including Werder Bremen, Fenerbache and Real Madrid. He arguably spent his best years at Los Blancos, where he played a key role in their 2012 La Liga title win.

Despite this, he won plenty of silverware during his time at the Emirates Stadium – including four FA Cup trophies. In addition to this, he was also part of the squad that reached the 2019 Europa League final (where they lost to Chelsea) – even though he was a relatively peripheral member of it at that point.

On top of this, Ozil accumulated a jaw-dropping 59 assists in 184 Premier League appearances whilst at Arsenal. He is one of few attacking players whose assist total is higher than his goals tally – he netted on 33 occasions for the Gunners during his stay.

Ozil was also an impressive performer for Germany, winning 92 caps for Die Mannschaft and scoring 23 goals. He was part of Germany’s World Cup winning squad in 2014, where he played a major role en route to their success.