Mesut Ozil willing to leave money on the table to depart Arsenal this month

What has Ozil previously said about his future?

In an interview with The Athletic the midfielder previously stated his intention to remain until the end of his terms. He explained that was because he still wanted to play for Arsenal and believed it would happen.

What has changed?

Ozil was omitted from their Premier League and Europa League squads for the first half of the season — a decision he is said not to have been told about until shortly before the last transfer window shut on October 5, by which point there was little time for an exit to be arranged.

With no anticipation from either party of Ozil being registered for the second half of the campaign, he is finally open to departing the Emirates Stadium — provided an agreement can be struck — and it is thought the midfielder would be prepared to forgo a proportion of what he is owed to make it happen.

Where could he go?

Talks are ongoing with Fenerbahce and DC United about the 2014 World Cup winner joining as a free agent, with Fenerbahce the only current option if he is to part ways with Arsenal this month.

Why might Arsenal be open to his departure?

Ozil became the highest-paid player in their history when he signed a new three-and-a-half year contract in 2018, worth roughly £350,000 a week.

But since then — and especially following the end of Arsene Wenger’s reign as manager — his involvement has become increasingly limited, initially under Unai Emery and then Mikel Arteta.

He has not been selected since March 7, 2020 and with one of Arsenal’s main priorities in the previous and current transfer markets being to slim down Arteta’s squad, their clear desire is for Ozil to go.

Where can I find out more?

For transfer news that you can trust, Go Deeper with The Athletic‘s new column, Transfer News Explained, below.

(Photo: By Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)