Soccer
New Fenerbahce signing Mesut Ozil leaves Arsenal 'holding no grudges'
Mesut Ozil is no longer an Arsenal player, joining Turkish side Fenerbahce on a permanent transfer.
The move was announced Sunday, making official the long-rumoured destination for Arsenal's now-former midfielder. Ozil was left off the Gunners' squad this season by manager Mikel Arteta for domestic and European competition despite being healthy, signalling the end of the 32-year-old's tenure with the north London club.
Yet despite being sidelined for such a long stretch, Ozil says he leaves the club "with no regrets and holding no grudges."
Ozil hadn't featured for Arsenal since March 7, 2020, as Arteta looked to rebuild the club without him. At one time the club's record signing, Ozil continued to earn £350,000 per week while sitting in the stands at Emirates Stadium.
With his contract set to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season, both club and player were motivated to find an agreeable ending to the slow-burning breakup. Ozil had previously expressed a desire to see out his lucrative deal, but the opportunity to join Fenerbahce seemingly changed his mind.
On Sunday, Ozil officially joined the Turkish club.
The transfer puts an end to Ozil's seven-and-a-half years at Arsenal. The German made over 250 appearances with the Gunners in all competitions, scoring 44 goals and notching 71 assists, and helping Arsenal win three FA Cup trophies.
