Mesut Ozil has faced criticism this season despite an improvement since Mikel Arteta arrived at the Emirates Stadium.
The midfielder has played well for stretches, but is not delivering in front of goal, with just one assist in 15 Premier League appearances and zero goals this season.
The 31-year-old has also suffered more than his fair share of off-field trauma this year, with an attempted robbery on he and teammate Sead Kolasinac while the duo were out with their wives, and death threats made to security guards outside his home.
Ozil has been at Arsenal for nearly seven years now, and while there have been opportunities for the World Cup winner to leave the club, he has remained in North London.
With Arsenal and the rest of the Premier League sides enjoying the luxury this year of a mid-season break, the Gunners have set up camp in Dubai for some warm-weather training.
And with the squad afforded some short holiday team ahead of the camp, Ozil met up with Arsenal's on-loan star Mohamed Elneny in Turkey.
But having now joined up with the rest of the squad, Ozil sent a message about "the challenges ahead" as the Gunners aim to secure European football next year.
Arteta's side are currently 10th in the Premier League, trailing fourth-placed Chelsea by 10 points.
With just 13 games remaining, it is unlikely that they will be able to catch up with the teams aiming for a top-four finish this season and thereby securing Champions League football.
However, a strong finish to the season could see them back in the Europa League next year. The Gunners are fifth-favourite to win the Europa League this season, which would automatically see them into the Champions League next term.
