Ozil is set to start his first game back from injury against Brighton this weekend.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said that record signing Mesut Ozil has been hitting the gym during his lengthy injury absence from the Gunners first team, report the Mirror, with the German international having bulked up in time for what is likely to be his first start back in the FA Cup fourth round against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.
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Ozil has been criticised for being lightweight and easy to bully out of games physically since his big money move to the Emirates Stadium from Real Madrid 18 months ago, but Wenger now hopes that his hard work during the last couple of months will stand him in good stead for the rough and tumble of the Premier League once he returns.
The former Werder Bremen man picked up a serious injury in the 2-0 defeat at Chelsea during the opening part of the season and has been on the sidelines ever since, save for a couple of substitute appearances in recent weeks, but he is now ready to fully step up his return to first team action.
Wenger has praised his hard work in the gym and believes that he will be able to handle the demands once he is restored to the Premier League team, which may not be immediately due to the fine form of Santi Cazorla:
“He has worked hard, I think he has taken to the fact that he wants to be stronger.”
“You have more time to focus on it. Every day he is in the gym and he can work on it and you don’t have the fatigue of the games. And it’s better when you look in the mirror!”
“He is fit and worked very hard and now it is down to him playing games. But it is not only down to pure strength.”