Mesut Ozil ‘holds talks over £200,000-a-week pay cut’ ahead of transfer
Mesut Ozil has reportedly held talks over a move to Fenerbahce which would see the Arsenal playmaker take a pay cut of around £200,000-a-week.
Ozil has not featured for the Gunners since March having been left out of Mikel Arteta’s squads for both the Premier League and Europa League.
According to Bild, Ozil has been involved in covert talks with the Turkish giants in London over a deal in the region of £150,000-a-week – a huge drop from his current £350,000-a-week wages at the Emirates.
But any move is unlikely to take place when the transfer window opens next month, instead happening in the summer.
(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Fenerbahce club congress member Murat Zorlu said earlier this month the Istanbul-based side are ‘90% certain’ to land the World Cup winner.
He told Sport Digitale: “A source, who’s very well connected to the club has told me that Mesut Ozil is likely to become a Fenerbahce player during the next transfer window.
“I would say 90 per cent he will join us in one month.”
Arsenal are in dire straits on the pitch having won just four games in the Premier League so far this season.
They sit 15th in the top flight and are staring down the barrel of a shock fight against the drop.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have been starved of title glory for a while now – but things could be changing as a new-look Arsenal side plot a course to success.
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New signings Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey have hit the ground running following their big money summer arrivals, and the new-look Gunners are going all out for a top four spot and Europa League glory this term.
The Mesut Ozil situation continues to hang in the background and there’s plenty going on in North London to keep abreast of.
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The Gunners host Chelsea on Boxing Day, and Jamie Redknapp reckons Arteta should be turning to Ozil to help him out of the predicament.
“No creativity again,” he said. “I feel for the manager.
“There are so many problems right now with this team, it’s hard to put your finger on which one is worst.
“He’s got another problem now, with people saying, ‘Should you bring Mesut Ozil back in?’. For me, of course you have to.
“It’s a no-brainer — you are not creating chances. Does the manager look weak bringing him back in? Some might say yes. Not for me.
“If you were creating chances and losing games I’d say of course you don’t get him back.
“But you need someone who’s going to spot a pass for the likes of Aubameyang, especially in matches like the one against Burnley the other night.
“I think Arteta tried to make a statement by not naming Ozil in his original squad. But sometimes you have to take it on the chin.
“Just use him while you’ve got him. Being in the position they’re in without turning to Ozil, it doesn’t make sense to me.”
