The last time Arsenal fans waited with baited breath to watch a proven world-class talent in action for the first time in their colours was when Dennis Bergkamp signed way back in 1995 - and we all know what a successful career the great Dutchman forged in North London.
Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Cesc Fabregas - the list is endless of the great players that have etched themselves in the history of Arsenal in the Arsene Wenger era. But none of them were great players when they signed for Arsenal - they found their mojo under Wenger.
That is not the case with Mesut Ozil, the £42.5 million signing from Real Madrid. This little German - well he is not so little considering he is nearly 5'10 - is already a proven world-class talent, with his best years ahead of him.
Much like Bergkamp, when he chose the relatively quiet confines of North London after a frustrating time with Inter Milan.
While Bergkamp was not technically a Wenger signing - Bruce Rioch was the manager at the time -- the story goes David Dein contacted Wenger while the Frenchman was managing Nagoya Grampus and got his go-ahead before making a move for the immensely classy Dutchman - not that you ever really need a reason to try and buy Bergkamp!
The anticipation of waiting to see Ozil strut his stuff - if anyone struts his stuff in football, it is certainly Ozil - is much like when every single Arsenal fan, and indeed English Premier League fan, came out to watch Bergkamp play his first full game for Arsenal against Middlesbrough.
Sunderland are the opponents on Saturday evening, and the Stadium of Light the venue - the first home game will have to wait until September 22 - for Ozil to make bring out that dazzling left foot of his and ping in those passes and through balls by the dozen.
Surely Olivier Giroud - the in-form striker for Arsenal - and Theo Walcott will be licking their lips at the prospect of having Santi Cazorla and Ozil orchestrating the Arsenal symphony from attacking midfield, with Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey pulling the strings a little further behind.
Ozil's statistics have been done to death by now - about how he is the king of assists and the chief creator for a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, who was none too pleased with Real Madrid's decision to sell the German.
While the Gareth Bale era begins at Real late on Saturday (early Sunday morning IST), a few hours earlier, hopefully a certain German with Turkish roots and vision almost incomparable, would have mesmerized not just the Sunderland defence, but also the millions watching around the world - because the Premier League is never really the Premier League without Arsenal being right up there with the best, competing for the title.
