Mesut Ozil has hinted at his return to football in a training video posted on his Instagram account.
In a montage shared on social media, the 35-year-old can be seen using battle ropes and pushing a sled with weights inside a gym.
One aspect that is immediately noticeable about the former Arsenal star compared to his playing career is his physique, with Ozil now sporting a muscular frame.
Ozil captioned his post: “Always stay ready, then you won’t need to prepare,” followed by an hourglass emoji further teasing a possible return.
Several former teammates of Ozil and personalities from the world of football shared their support for his transformation, with Antonio Rudiger commenting “beast” and Rio Ferdinand writing “looks strong brother.”
Mesut Ozil appears to have gained muscle in a post shared on his Instagram account
The 35-year-old also teased a return to football, noting that to stay prepared “you don’t need to prepare.”
The former Arsenal midfielder came through his career last year after a brief spell at Istanbul Basaksehir.
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The World Cup winner has been included in Germany’s preliminary squad for the upcoming over-35s competition to be held in England this summer.
Among his possible teammates for that tournament are former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira and former Schalke striker Kevin Kuriyani.
Ozil made over 250 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners during an eight-year spell at the club after joining from Real Madrid for £42.5million in the summer of 2013.
He won four FA Cups during his time in north London and managed 19 assists for the Gunners in the 2015-16 Premier League season, which remains a club record.
After falling out of favor at the Emirates, Ozil spent two years at Fenerbache, followed by a brief spell at Istanbul Basaksehir before announcing his retirement from professional football in March.