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Wenger defends Ozil after Perez claims Arsenal star couldn't handle Real pressure
ARSENE WENGER has hit back at Real Madrid president Florentino Perez for accusing Mesut Ozil of joining Arsenal because he could not 'handle the pressure at Madrid'.
Perez spoke about the £42.5million departure of Ozil yesterday, saying: "The player asked to leave and nobody here should be upset about it.
"He couldn’t handle the pressure at Madrid."
Perez's claims follow reports coming out of the Spanish capital that questioned Ozil's professionalism - citing his romantic life as a distraction to his career.
But Wenger has refused to believe such suggestions, insisting that the 24-year-old is not looking for an easy life at the Emirates.
"No, I have not seen that at all," said Wenger.
"He is 24, he has over 50 caps for Germany and when you play for Germany, you are under a lot of pressure. He won the championship with Real Madrid, and that is a club where there is a lot of pressure, but I could not detect that.
"Ozil has integrated well, and been well accepted.
"I think he is not at the top physically yet, overall we are very pleased to have him with us, but he will demand a bit of time to adjust to the vigorous body challenges he will face here in the Premier league.
"Once he has done that, he will be even stronger."