Arsenal perhaps lack a creative midfielder for the first time several seasons.

A bombshell was dropped earlier this week as Gunners boss Mikel Arteta omitted Mesut Ozil from his official Premier League squad, meaning the German playmaker is now all but done at the north London club.

He's unable to play a competitive league or European fixture for Arsenal until at least January when registration opens again, which is perhaps a baffling move after they signed the defensive-minded Thomas Partey over Houssem Aouar this summer.

Where's Arteta's former teammate Aaron Ramsay when you need him? Oh, that's right, he was let go for free by KSE in 2019.

Barring an injury-hit final season at the Emirates, the Welsh superstar hit at least five goals in every top-flight campaign, starting with a whopping ten strikes in 2013/14.

Likewise with key passes (never averaged below 1.2 per game) and assists (recorded at least four every season).

According to ex-Gunners manager Unai Emery, the decision on Ramsey was firmly out of his hands, ultimately falling down to the club not offering the player the sort of terms he had earned in around a decade at the club.

Where is Ramsey now?

Ramsey moved to Juventus after signing a pre-contract agreement in February 2019, a deal that made him the highest-earning British player on basic salary alone (£400k-per-week).

That switch has already paid dividends as the 29-year-old clinched the Serie A title last season and gets to play alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and former teammate Wojciech Szczesny.

He was once valued at £40.5m during his prime at the Gunners, yet he left the club on a free transfer and is now worth around £19.8m to Juventus, as per Transfermarkt.

This season, Ramsey's game has been elevated to a new level, which can hardly be a surprise considering he's under the tutelage of Italy legend Andrea Pirlo, who took the managerial reins from Maurizio Sarri in the summer.

Per WhoScored, the midfield maestro has averaged 3.5 tackles, three key passes and 1.5 dribbles in the Italian top-flight so far this campaign.

Oh how Arteta could do with a presence like that in the engine room - he has KSE to thank for that, in more ways than one.

AND in other news, £15m starlet has thrived since Arsenal rejection in 2011...