I WON’T BE FORCED OUT VOWS OZIL

MESUT OZIL says he plans to see out his contract at Arsenal – even though he believes there are people who are trying to “destroy” him.

The Gunners are desperate to get the 31-year-old off the wage bill after it became clear he does not feature in manager Mikel Arteta’s plans.

Despite earning £350,000 a week, Ozil, right, did not play in any of the Project

Restart games and was already back home on holiday by the time of the FA Cup final win.

But the German, who is in the final year of his deal, said: “I’ll decide when I go, not other people. I didn’t sign for two or three years, I signed for four and that should be respected by everyone.

“I’m here through to the last day of our agreement and I’ll give everything I have for this club. Things

have obviously been difficult but I love Arsenal, I love to work there, I love the people in the club – the real people, those I’ve been with for a long time – and I love London, it’s my home.

“Situations like these will never break me, they only make me stronger.”

Ozil has been singled out for his refusal to accept a 12.5 per cent pay cut, which Arteta, below, and the bulk of the squad took to help save staff jobs.

“As far as I’m aware, I was not the only player who rejected the cut in the end, but only my name came out,” said Ozil. “I guess that’s because it is me and people have been trying for two years to destroy me, to make me unhappy, to push an agenda they hope will turn the supporters against me and paint a picture that is not true.”

In a wide-ranging interview with

The Athletic, Ozil said he remains “disappointed” Arsenal did not give him more backing when he highlighted China’s persecution of Uighur Muslims.

In December the club said it was his “personal matter” but Ozil added: “Arsenal have many Muslim players and fans, and it is important for the world to say that Muslim Lives Matter.”