Arsenal fans were given something to cheer about on Thursday when the club announced that Mesut Ozil had agreed to a new long-term contract and the midfielder took to Instagram to reveal the reason for penning the contract extension after months of deliberation.

#YaGunnersYa …. ooh yaaa 😎📝 Proud to announce: I signed dat thing 😁 3 more years with @Arsenal! It’s been one of the most important decisions of my footballing career and that’s why I had to think hard and talk with everyone who’s important to me… Good things take time! In the end I let my heart decide. As I always said, I feel at home here and I’m highly motivated to achieve big things in the next few years. Once a Gunner, always a Gunner! 💥 #M1Ö #WeAreTheArsenal #London

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A post shared by Mesut Özil (@m10_official) on Feb 1, 2018 at 8:35am PST

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Negotiations to extend his deal were underway since last season, but both parties had failed to come to a deal and as the summer transfer window opened in August, speculation was rife that both Ozil and fellow rebel Alexis Sanchez would depart the Emirates.

Must read: Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil pens contract extension

Against all odds, however, the duo remained in North London and while the club continued to make efforts to get their prized assets to agree to an extension, there was no headway made.

The winter transfer window opened on January 1 and arch-rivals Manchester United were linked for a double swoop for the duo and while they got Sanchez in the end, as a part of a swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ozil stayed put at the Emirates.

Considering he was out of contract in the summer, the 29-year-old was eligible to sign a pre-contract with any club of his choosing and would depart a free agent once the 2017-18 season concluded.

After seeing the Gunners spend big to acquire Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, however, Ozil was perhaps convinced by the club’s ambitions and put pen to paper a deal which sees him become the highest-earning player at the Emirates.

While there is no official confirmation, the 29-year-old’s weekly wages are said to be in the region of £300,000 per week.

Ozil, a World Cup winner with Germany and triple FA Cup champion with Arsenal, joined Arsene Wenger’s side in 2013 and has continued to stake his claim as one of the finest creative midfielders in the modern game.

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Complaints over his lack of physicality and work-rate have shadowed him each time he has stepped on to the pitch, but there can be no denying that the German is an absolute joy to watch when on song.

With former Borrussia Dortmund duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in tow alongside Alexandre Lacazette and Ozil, Arsenal now have a vaunted attack quartet that matches their rivals and the club will hope their expensively-assembled forward line sees them finish the 2017-18 season strong.

The Gunners are competing for silverware on two fronts, the EFL Cup and the UEFA Europa League, and are expected to challenge for a the Champions League spots in the Premier League.

Currently in sixth place, the North Londoners trail crosstown rivals Chelsea, who are fourth, by eight points and will look to trim that gap when they host Everton on Saturday night.