Arsenal to pay Ozil a fortune

LONDON. — Arsenal will have to pay Mesut Ozil a fortune before he leaves to join Turkish football giants Fenerbahce.

The German playmaker has slipped to the bottom of the pecking order under Mikel Arteta in recent months, and was left out of both their English Premier League and Europa League playing squads.

The 32-year-old, who was a fan favourite during the tenure of Arsene Wenger, looks set to leave after eight years in north London, during which time he has created 77 goals across 254 appearances.

Although he looks very unlikely to add to that tally, his wages are not yet paid up in full.

RT journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu has reported that Ozil is owed a whopping £7.2m from his most recent contract.

That total fee is due to his £350 000-a-week deal, which is set to end in the summer.

He adds that terms are currently behind discussed with Fenerbahce, with Ozil having family ties to Turkey.

Should he join Fenerbahce this month, it is likely that Arsenal will have to come to a mammoth financial agreement with the World Cup winner.

Arteta said of the player last week: “We will discuss it internally, what the best situation is for him in the near future, with the player and the agent and try to find the best solution for everybody.

“We will decide what is happening in the next few days.”

Before adding of his omission from their Premier League playing squad: “We have to make a decision.

“I had to make a decision. I made it. I knew the consequences of it.

“And now we are having to make another in January, and we will put in the balance of the best thing for the club, the best thing for the team, the intention of the player and try to find the right solution.”

Although Ozil has been training with the first-team, he was recently given time off for personal reasons. — The Daily Star.