While most people take transfer speculation with a hefty pinch of salt, Fenerbahce have felt the need to release a public statement to dismiss rumours linking them with a move for Mesut Ozil.
The Internet was awash with stories about how the German would join on loan for a year, with help for his salary coming from a mysterious sponsor/benefactor.
This despite the fact the Arsenal man has repeatedly reiterated his desire to stay at the club this season and beyond.
This morning, the Turkish side posted a missive about the rumours on their official website. It says:
In recent weeks, and especially in the last few days, the necessity of providing information about the claims of Mesut Ozil, which is on the agenda, to clarify the situation has arisen.
Mesut Ozil, with his career and stance successfully represents our country abroad, is an important value known with the identity of Fenerbahce.
However, Fenerbahce does not have an initiative for Mesut Ozil. Under the current economic conditions, such a step is not possible for both parties.
Our President, Ali Koç, made statements on the subject in the WinWin program held on June 20 and emphasised that this could not be realised in the short term.
We present it to our community and the public.
Ozil has a close friendship with Koç, but even that isn’t enough to make a deal happen given his salary at Arsenal would dwarf anything being paid by Fenerbahce at this moment in time.
Anyway, strange times we live in, eh?
Just feel that Fenerbahce and Turkish clubs in general are trolling us now. First Mustafi, now Ozil, next thing you know they’ll be announcing that they’re not interested in Elneny and Jenkinson!
My take is the OZIL situation is even more toxic and protracted than I’d thought. Feels like he called in a favor through the high and mighty in Turkey (probably through Lord Erd himself) to assure Arsenal that our dear midfielder remains/remains happy with us. Hope we make it work with him if that’s the case.
feels like a lot of speculation.
everyone discussing speculations like facts.
What’s so mental about the Mesut Ozil situation is the contrasting opinions between what a large portion of the fans now think about him, and what the Arsenal players think of him. And how the dressing room have him on this pedestal as being one of the most gifted players they have ever played with. Yet he can barely get a game under Emery.
I doubt you will ever see a player again that is as technically good as he is, but who divides so much opinion as to his worth in a starting 11.
It is fairly bananas.
It’s because the other technically gifted players at that level we’ve had in the past tended to do things like try hard.. be consistent.. and play away from home.. even Pires put in the odd tackle (and in fact mastered the ‘nicking it away half tackle’ technique). All said and done I can forgive and Arsenal player being crap, as there’ not much they can do about that.. all I want to see is that the desire and effort is there. Sadly, as much as I have wanted Ozil to succeed (especially having some Turkish heritage myself) he has not… Read more »
We don’t care if he is technically gifted, he plays 1 good game every 10 games and only in home games. He is shit!
@Arsenal1 That just isn’t the case though. A lot of Mesut’s problems is also what makes him such a unique talent. He is only really quantifiable if he gets someone an assist. But if he doesn’t, he is deemed to have had a bad game. In similar circumstances it’s like that type of striker you sometimes see in the Premier League that ghost through the whole game and pretty much do nothing for the entire 90 minutes, but then somehow pop up with a goal right at the end. Did he have a good game? Or did he just score?… Read more »
The thing with Mesut is, I belive, He needs certain kind of players around him to make the most of his ability. When he does have that kind of team with the right setup, he is pretty good. He need wingers, he needs people to shield the defense but also players like what Ramsey did (coming from behind as an attack outlet). because he isn’t the kind of player that will track back or defend, and that’s good, not every player is going to be like that. He also need strikers that scores his assists. Thing is, he needs a… Read more »
Possibly, but for whatever reason I doubt anyone can say that Ozil has fully justified either his initial fee (around £42 million) or his astronomical wages (£350,000 per week). His huge wages, negotiated in the Wenger era, have skewed the club’s wage structure and, reportedly, caused problems in the dressing room given his inconsistent performance. The club is under real financial pressure now, more than some Gooners realise. However, we’re clearly unable to offload a hugely expensive player like Ozil, or other players like Mustafi, because no club is prepared to match their wages given their performance record at Arsenal.… Read more »
@ Goonereality — No one wants our players because we suck right now, and have for a few years. If Emery does his job and we play some fine football again this season, everything will change. If Emery finds the right mix with Ozil involved, he’ll likely be at the top of the assists chart with such accomplished strikers ahead of him. As Frenkie de Jong pointed out, Arsenal played some beautiful, attractive football in the past, and if we can find that formula again, good things will happen all over the club.
Wet well said mate
I could be wrong but I do wonder how much of the reporting on players’ opinions are accurate. I thought for a guy so well handled by his people, the Ozil camp put out a statement last season, at the height of his non-involvement which basically said “Mesut is now doing the extra stuff in training.” I though that was odd. My limited experience with other top athletes has made me think, most guys do not begrudge a guy trying to do the things the coach/manager/team are asking him to do, no matter his salary. But guys start getting very… Read more »
It’s called managing his personality
Bloke’s totally useless. Get rid, not matter the cost to club. Will never move forward while his “Will he, won’t he” perform continues to haunt the manager.
We knew this from day 1, Fenerbace are in broke atm and finished mid-table last year. Yet all publications choose to continue with this bs story. To be honest, our board is largely responsible for this. When every fan is impatiently waiting for us to get rid of the deadwood at our club and replace them with either quality players or promising prospects, yet there is no movement from our end, we invite unethical journalists to run their bs stories. They know what we’re looking for and they’re simply giving it to us. The only thing they’re concerned about is… Read more »
How could Fenerbache afford him when we cant sure!
But he’s got thousands and thousands of social media followers, how can they afford NOT to take him on?
So many rumors involving Turkish clubs. Always. Every year. Is there even such a thing as Turkish football? Maybe there isn’t even a Turkey. Made up by a man with a fondness for luncheon meat.
Basaksehir would be the favourites, surely
Zero poos on the poo-meter I’d say.
But he comes with a free froghurt!
“The frogurt is also cursed.”
Just another part of Gazidis’s legacy…. Ozil is finished as a player, he’s been a player in decline for a very long time, he had a very good run of form in the buildup to signing his new deal, and the last time he was consistent before that, was the first half of the 2015/16 season. The club have to find a way to fix this for Emery, I’m thinking we may have to wait until January, Beckham’s Miami team starts in the MLS next season, and their season kicks off in March, wages would unlikely be a problem, and… Read more »
This is absolutely not true, but those who dislike Ozil and want him gone are secure in that view. No doubt, Ozil was not very good last season, but not that many players on our team were after Auba and Laca. We’ve been on the decline for a few years, and Emery struggled to find the right balance between getting the best out of these players and imposing his style of play. That said, viewing the highlight reel of our goals last season, Ozil is involved in the buildup of most. He’s not getting the final pass, and perhaps the… Read more »
Ozil is shit stop supporting him! Wake up! His work rate is shit, he cant score, and he is lost most of the games! Good try to convince us that he is good
Ozil hasn’t been a world class player in a very long time & quite frankly doesn’t fit with the way a modern top side plays anymore. If he were consistently producing then you find a way to build your team around him – but he hasn’t produced consistently since he signed his contract and was highly patchy before that. He’s a big name on a huge contract but without the production to match.
Not to mention not turning up to training. Publicly fighting with his manager. Not going to away matches. Not playing up north. Not turning up in any big game in his whole time at the club. (oh yeah please tell me about the Leicester and Ludogrets masterclasses). The dude got the stats of a palace bench player. That’s the perfect role model for the young players I guess!? This is our club how people are fine with this…. It boggles the mind. “Oh but other players played bad too” no way near as bad as ozil. at least they were… Read more »
Wow, the thing that gets me is how deep the dislike is for one of our own players. You’d think this guy was a Spurs player. Is Ozil really the character you’ve drawn above? Do the stats of his career, even his time at Arsenal alone, support the characterization of a Palace bench player? Are Arsenal fans who want to see Ozil and the team succeed on the pitch together really such pariahs? Of course not.
@hustle6: i know Ozil probably is the worst player for most people right now. But for me, it is always mustafi. I prefer we throw out mustafi first considering how bad our defense is and the bigger chance someone will pick him than Ozil (considering the wages)
I just don’t agree with writing him off so easily — so many have, and I understand the frustrations with him and this team in general, but he is our player and he’s not going anywhere. We were a very modern side 3 years ago when he was producing at an astonishing level, but since then the problems at Arsenal have been much more than Ozil over the years — Wenger’s decline, no real striker, the defence, no midfield destroyer, the defence, the lack of wingers, the defence, Emery, etc. He’s on a big contract, he is a big name,… Read more »
His stats have been extremely average over the past several years, particularly when you compare him to other top players in the PL (Erickson, Hazard, DeBruyne etc.) many of whom do not take free kicks & are expected to contribute a lot more defensively/ score a lot more goals each year. He’s just not worth the hassle at this point – if he somehow finds form then you play him, but he’s not worth building a team around at this point as he’s repeatedly demonstrated he is wildly inconsistent and needs everything to be just right to show up. We’re… Read more »
Kevin De Bruyne -Goals 23, Appearances 120, Assists 46
Eden Hazard – Goals 85, Appearances 245, Assists 54
Christian Eriksen – Goals 49,Appearances 206, Assists 60
Mesut Özil – Goals 32, Appearances 166,Assists 52
Anyone good with averages. I am crap at maths
prem stats only
@ gee run the last several years since 2016 Ozil – 83 appearances. 17 goals. 19 assists with 50% of those coming in 2016 Debruyne – 92 appearances. 16 goals. 36 assists Erickson – 108 appearances. 26 assists 37 assists Hazard – 107 appearances. 44 goals. 24 assists. Every player on that lists has contributed far more than Ozil the past 2 years (even with Debruyne missing huge chunk of last year injured) with much greater defensive duties (Hazard maybe excepted). The stat argument really relies on Ozils early production at Arsenal and shows just how far he’s fallen off… Read more »
But in the context of the team on which he plays, hasn’t Arsenal kind of sucked the last few years? Not sure it is fair or representative of a balanced perspective to select only the stats that support your point.
@futsboller – not sure you really want to argue that Ozil is a world class player playing with 2 of the best strikers in Europe yet somehow has pretty average stats b/c the team has been bad. If that’s the case that alone argues he’s a gigantic waste of money for self-sustaining club.
Look at Hazard in the Europa final – that’s what a real world class player looks like.
@atom – Are Ozil and Hazard the same type of player? Seems a bit off to compare those two. I get the comparisons with Erikssen and DeBruyne (Silva is the more apt comparison, and they are quit similar over their time in the PL), but even still, you are cherry picking your stats — we’ve been bad, and so has Ozil. How did Ozil compare to Hazard, Eriksen, and De Bruyne in 2015-16?
@futsboller – if you have to go back 4 years to find a time when Ozil outperforms that tells you literally everything you need to know about his current status as a player – a spent force
I’m not ozils biggest fan but in fairness he didn’t play that much last year and he had no wingers.
Depends which stats you look at. Goals and assists may not be the best but big chances are still right up there and if someone put them away he’d be breaking records. It’s easy to get drawn into the negativity, but objectively he’s a huge asset that’s being under-utilised.
The no real striker argument has surely now been dispelled? He’s had a season of peak Lacazette, and 18 months of Aubameyang, who’s consistently proved himself to be one of the worlds most prolific goal scorers. One of the reasons we’ve been so defensively poor is because Ozil’s lack of consistency in his willingness to track back and defend from the front. I agree a lack of wingers is currently a big probem, but Emery has publicly declared “ I need wingers” He’s also declared “ I’d like investment in the defence” If those requests are shortcoming? Then ifor one… Read more »
Of course, my point was a few years ago, when Ozil was laying up goal-scoring opportunity after goal-scoring opportunity, we didn’t have an out-and-out striker to finish the job. We haven’t been a very good team for a few years now, and we haven’t leaked so many goals at the back because Ozil won’t track back. I’m not saying we keep him because he has a song about; I’m saying he has a song about him because he has played well for Arsenal, he has been an impressive performer for us in the past, and we just need to find… Read more »
There’s been a lot of matches when we haven’t had a midfield and our strikers have been playing as wingers/midfielders because the set up of the team was so crap. How is any attacking midfielder supposed to create anything when there’s nobody ahead of him? Mesut had a horrible season last year which started with the German national team and then got worse with injuries and problems with the manager at Arsenal. He was looking absolutely shorn of confidence by the end of last season and a shadow of himself. He’s not going anywhere so Arsenal fan have a choice,… Read more »
Surely it’s Ozil who needs to quit his whinging? Three times last season he declared himself “sick” after finding out he wouldn’t be starting, after training with no apparent problems. Once? Maybe I’m buying it Twice? I’m sceptical Three times? I’m beginning to notice a pattern emerging. He stormed out of training in a temper tantrum, hardly the type of influence you want being passed onto our younger players, the tweet after Rennes was pure petulance, and aimed at creating division between manager and fans. No one who’s watched Ozil can doubt his talent and ability to produce key moments,… Read more »
Emery and Ozil took each other on last year, and neither won. It was a pointless endeavour: both have power, but neither helps Arsenal FC win matches by working against each other. They need to work together and create some real chemistry on the pitch this season — if Emery thinks he can win and secure top four without him, then good luck, but I don’t see it happening (and that will be Emery’s job). I don’t buy the narrative of reports and rumours here, as no one except the players and management really know what goes on behind the… Read more »
Emery came in and decided that Ozil and Ramsey needed to be put in their place and learn who’s boss. It took him until halfway through the season until either he figured or was told that wasn’t the case. Aaron rode the wave, maybe because he knew he was leaving anyway. Mesut fought back. If was an unhealthy situation and one which cost us points, so hopefully it is behind us now. If Mesut didn’t give a damn as you seem to think, he wouldn’t be so upset by it all.
I don’t think you have a good grasp of MLS pay structure. Or reality.
I think it’s you who don’t understand the MLS pay structure, try looking up “The Beckham rule”
And also try looking up how clubs use sponsors to sidestep the pay structure.
And if you’re trying to claim we’re extracting any type of value from Ozil? Then I’m afraid it’s you who doesn’t have a grasp on reality.
Me thinks the fenerbachers doth protest too much.
they will bid 50 million on deadline day – guaranteed
Surely we’d be happy to let him go for a lot less if it means sa I g on his wages.
I’ve discovered that I’m not mature enough to read the line “Ozil has a close friendship with Koç”
I am childish and found that amusing as well
You must giggle at every mention of France’s national team’s emblem, the Gallic coq.
I have a question. Let’s say Ozil was ready to leave arsenal and a club mysteriously showed up, how much is he actually worth? 20mil? 25? Or 15?
He’s worth £0
And could be worth less.
Signing Ozil for 2 years on a free would cost around £30,000,000…
Very few clubs have that type of money, and the ones that do, certainly wouldn’t waste it on a rapidly declining, stroppy and inconsistent player, who won’t hold any value, and lives for pulling sickies.
Unless Erdogan or one of his mates stumps up some cash? The only place I can see us shifting him, is the MLS in January… I can’t see Ozil leaving London for China, he seems far too settled and in the comfort zone
Free transfer and good riddance
That’s where you’re foggy.
we can’t even get rid of Elneny or Jenkinson for free.
The issue is salary.
We don’t dictate that. Contractually, we signed with Ozil and are beholden to it.
Its up to the player if he wants to take the pay cut but at Ozil’s wages, its a very huge cut and why would he want to do that?
Nah.
Damn it !
I don’t understand the need for them to release a statement cos hes not their player. Except they’re sending a message to the “mysterious sponsor/benefactor” that they’d like him but can’t afford him and would like some help.
Strange times indeed
The simple fact is that we cannot offload Ozil because no club will take him. He is just too well paid, as are several of the other players that Emery would like to “let go”. We have the Wenger-era backroom team to thank for this but there’s nothing we can do except wind down their contracts which will take time, and cost Arsenal a fortune in the meantime, for little return.
Here is what you do with Ozil: you start him in almost every league match, home and away. You make sure Aubameyang and Lacazette are ahead of him. (If we had kept Ramsey, you play him at the same time; I’m not sure how you replace that, maybe try Iwobi or Maitland-Niles, or even (gasp) buy someone.) We are a much better side when those three are out there. Use them.
Ozil works best in 4-2-3-1 but that means supporting cast around him need to be at optimum. But if we are beholden to start him, it means we are forced to play a certain way and if his defensive output drops, the cohesive effort in terms of pressing also dissipates (bc he is who he is…he’s tried and there’s effort but he is glass half empty) The key if we retain Ozil is to use him only when situation dictates. He has to fit the team not the other way around. So if he starts to sulk bc of lack… Read more »
Exactly. If you are worried about defensive solidity, play a back four with three midfielders behind to control the game.
This doesn’t work if he’d rather play Fortnite at home than travel for away games. I also seem to remember Ozil playing in the exact kind of manner you suggest against Chelsea in the Europa League final, and putting in one of the most anonymous performances I’ve even had the “joy” to witness. A performance thrown into sharp relief when he was replaced and utterly shown up by Joe Willock. How he survived the embarrassment is beyond me. The reality is he’s just not up to it anymore, and he needs to be moved on as a matter of urgency.
I would love for Ozil to have a couple of good and productive seasons with us before he eithet retires or moves on. I’d love it if he ended his time here on a good note.
Me too. But I have seen absolutely no evidence for a season and a half (coincidentally from when he signed that new contract) that there is any hope of that happening.
Unfortunately that is where it feels like it’s heading.
The problem with Ozil is output to the massive amount he has on wages. BUT considering we have finally freed up space in the wage structure with Cech, Welbeck, Lichsteiner, Ramsey, likely koscielny gone, we have capacity to carry him for one more season. He is not entirely useless as he has offensive powers to bring to bear if we use him selectively. But he may not be guaranteed (should not be ) a start because we will have to fit the team around him when it of course should be other way around. Ditto Mustafi who still has utility… Read more »
Please please take Mesut and Mustafi. In fact, sign a deal for Ozil by next Friday and we’ll throw Mustafi in for free. ?. COYG.
No one will take Jenkinson and elneny for free let alone Mustafi at his salary level.
Which is why buying Saliba is all the more idiotic.
Even with ‘installments’, we will eventually pay the rumoured 27m which means if he proves false…we will have to take a massive loss in market…worse we won’t again be able to move another poor player on.
Get real.
You just know everything buddy. Are you mustafi?
Ozil, Mustafi, Jenkinson, Elneny, Mkhitaryan will remain Arsenal players this season. Once we’ve accepted this, its time to back the players so as to give them the best chance to perform to the best of their abilities. Hopefully they’ll help turn the fortunes of the club
Unlikely.
We’re fucked 🙁
Players we don’t want are ALWAYS linked to Turkey for some reason. And they always never turn out to be true. Salary alone will dictate unless these players are at very end of career with no options in China, America or elsewhere…highly unlikely. This is the crux of the issue. There is no “MUST GO”. Sure we would like to move Mustafi, Ozil on but there may be no takers because of current contract and high salary. Thereby we may have to be practical and sell alternatives like say Chambers or Mhkitaryan (proviso they themselves have buyers in market and… Read more »
I can’t fucking wait til the day we’re finally shot of the goon squad of Kolasinac, Mustafi, Xhaka and their lord king Ozil.
Im really struggling to get excited about the new season and keep my love for this club at the moment, knowing that Ozil and Mustafi waffi plappi are still at this club, I’m not bothered about signing players so much, I’d rather we promoted our youth players and cleared out the dead weight. We’re only be able to sign players as good as our young players anyway, plus we’re save so much money, then add it to future funds
‘Dead wood’ — takes me back to the days with Bendtner; Denislon, Djourou and the rest of them and the way some people spoke about them. Looking back, those days weren’t all that bad, a bit hairy, especially with the usual scrap for 4th spot in May, but never as bad as people made out.
Loved Ozil for a good few years and yes he’s declined, but a good manager should be able to get something more from him than Emery did last season.
And that has to be Emery’s aim, because he’s clearly going nowhere until his contract expires.
Ozil on his day is just magnificent. BUT I think his dip in form has something to do with this stamina/strength. Just get the feeling that he doesn’t track back ,to conserve his energy.Somehow it feels like he gets tired by 60 min.(those who play footie at amatuer level can relate I guess) Have felt sorry for him how easily defenders gets the ball off him from tight corners. Overall he gives the impression of a tired man. Work hard on fitness to stay on till 75 and tracking back, get some tackles in even if it results in an… Read more »
All these different views on the same player is why football is such a great game. The time spent reading these comments have been worth it.
If anything is clear, it is that özil is happy to stay around with us, even if he doesnt play games. Either arsenal cantina makes out of this world kebabs, or his footballing ambitions are kebabed.
On the plus side we are keeping our two star strikers so far.
It’s clearly a place he doesn’t want to be, which bodes well for us really, because unless he bucks his ideas up over the next couple of years he’s going to end up there sooner than he would like.