Robert Pires believes Arsenal have found a creative force to rival the 'maestro' Dennis Bergkamp in Mesut Ozil, with the Frenchman praising the midfielder's impact this season.
Ozil has showed an exceptional appetite for goals this season, finding the net seven times already, but remains a creative powerhouse for the Gunners, who are currently fourth in the Premier League table, two points behind leaders Liverpool.
Pires, who was a chief creative force for Arsenal during his trophy-laden six-year spell at the club, believes 'something has clicked' for the former Real Madrid star, who is set to be a key influence for Wenger's men as they hunt down a first league crown since 2004.
11 years ago ... Robert Pires #COYG pic.twitter.com/QpOpT94Vjz
"Something has clicked," he told Arsenal Player. "What's happened in the head is like a click because he's scored a lot of goals.
"This is a difference between the last season with Mesut Ozil and now because he's thinking just for himself and sometimes when you are in front of the target it is very important to score a goal.
Mesut Ozil's Premier and Champions League games per goal stats over the last four seasons... pic.twitter.com/R1BC9wjs7W
"Mesut Ozil has very good qualities, he can normally score a minimum of 12 goals during the Premier League so in my time the maestro was Dennis Bergkamp, and now it is Mesut Ozil.
"I love them both because they play very good football but they play for the team. Not for himself, they play for the team. This point is very important for the future and of course for Arsenal."
Indeed, it was difficult not to see Ozil's stunning Champions League goal against Legia Warsaw and think the grace and skill involved was something Bergkamp would produce for the Gunners.