Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has claimed that Mesut Ozil is now Arsenal's "number one man" following the departure of Alexis Sanchez.
The German World Cup winner has committed his future to the North London outfit by signing a new three-and-a-half-year deal.
Ozil opted not to follow Sanchez, who decided to join Manchester United earlier this month despite being initially heavily linked with a switch to Manchester City.
Reports have now emerged claiming that Ozil rejected the chance to move to Old Trafford, and also turned down Barcelona among a handful of other clubs.
Carragher believes that Ozil will now be the undisputed main man at Arsenal, even though his performances on the pitch in the past have been inconsistent.
"I would never say Ozil doesn't put in 100%; I think the question has always been whether he does decide the big games, is he the man to take them to big trophies and the Premier League?" Carragher said on Sky Sports News.
"That has happened over the last few years, and that has to happen for him to be placed alongside the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry. But there's no doubt he's now Arsenal's number one man after Sanchez has gone."
The midfielder's new deal is rumoured to be worth around £350,000 per week.
Danielle Joynson
