Mesut Ozil has officially confirmed his move to Fenerbahce, ending his upside-down seven and a half year stay at Arsenal.
The 32-year-old, who has not played for Arsenal since March 7, joins the Turkish club on a free transfer after his £ 350,000-a-week Gunners contract ends.
While the news has not yet been officially confirmed by either club, Ozil has now officially spoken out on the move, admitting he is ‘very excited’ in an interview with Turkish television channel NTV, and confirming that he will arrive in Istanbul Monday morning . .
Mesut Özil has ended his time at Arsenal and has joined Turkish club Fenerbahce
The German playmaker was the club’s record when he moved from Real Madrid in 2013
‘I am a Fenerbahce fan. That’s why I’m very happy to come to Turkey with Fenerbahce, ‘said Ozil. ‘I’m very excited. God has given me the opportunity to wear this jersey as a Fenerbahce fan. God willing, I will wear it with honor and do everything I can for the team, ”he added.
‘Of course I miss a few games. I haven’t played in a game in a while but I’m physically fit, I have no issues, ” he said, adding that he had trained with the first team at Arsenal during his time off the field.
It ends Ozil’s long and controversial spell in North London, where he won three FA Cups and one Community Shield after arriving in a then-club record of £ 42.5m from Real Madrid under Arsene Wenger.
Ozil has also won three FA Cups during his tenure with the club (pictured here after the 2015 triumph)
The 2014 World Cup winner with Germany has not played competitively for the Gunners in more than 10 months, with his last appearance in March’s 1-0 win against West Ham, assisting Alexandre Lacazette.
Ozil is leaving Arsenal after playing 254 games for the club, scoring 44 goals and recording 77 assists in more than seven years.
He was named the club’s Player of the Season in 2015–16, when they came second in the Premier League against Leicester City.
Ozil was also named PFA Fans’ Player of the Month three times in 2015.
The playmaker was involved in the 2014 FA Cup final victory against Hull City, ending Arsenal’s nine-year drought, as well as defending their cup crown against Villa a year later.
He also played a part in the Gunners’ Cup triumph over Chelsea in 2017, but fell short against the same opponents in the Europa League final two years later.
The playmaker is celebrating with fans after Arsenal broke through their nine-year trophy drought in 2014
Ozil also played 90 minutes in the 2018 EFL Cup final loss against Manchester City.
But since he signed a new £ 350,000 deal in January 2018, making him the club’s highest paid player, he struggled to get into top form when Arsene Wenger left the club that summer.
He had a somewhat up-and-down relationship with Unai Emery, but seemed rejuvenated in the first two months of Mikel Arteta’s Emirates reign.
The German has not played under Mikel Arteta since the first lockdown of the corona virus last year
But he hasn’t played after the lockdown – and was only involved with two matchday teams, both in June – and recently took to social media to show his affection for Arsenal, in addition to his disappointment that he wasn’t involved.
He was not selected in the Premier League or the Europa League squad this season, but has continued to train with the first team.
The athletic claim that Ozil would earn around £ 7 million at the Emirates Stadium between now and the end of the current campaign, but an early termination was agreed.
Ozil also recently spoke about his affection for Fenerbahce during a Twitter Q&A.
Ozil has not played for the Gunners since March 2020 and has finally said goodbye to the club
Ozil teased fans about a move to Fenerbahce, calling them Turkey’s ‘biggest club’
He teased fans by saying, ‘I grew up as a child as a Fenerbahce fan in Germany – every German-Turkish person supports a Turkish team when they grow up in Germany.
And mine was Fenerbahce. Fenerbahce is like Real Madrid in Spain. The largest club in the country. ‘
When asked by another Twitter follower who was his favorite neighborhood in the city, Ozil replied ‘Kadikoy’, where the club’s stadium is located.
Ozil recently posted a throwback photo of herself in Istanbul as the conversation about a move is heated