Arsenal recently announced that contracts of several players had come to an end. One name that wasn’t on the list but was still affecting the club’s wage bill was that of Mesut Ozil.
The playmaker had left the Gunners in January to join Fenerbahce. However, the north London club have agreed to pay almost 90% of the midfielder’s wages for the first six months of his three-and-half year contract with the Turkish side.
The Emirates club have reportedly deposited a sum of around £16.38m into Mesut Ozil’s account on June 30th to subsidise for his wages, as per Daily Star. With this transaction, the club have taken the midfielder off their books.
After the news came out, fans were quick to make their feelings heard. Most of it was positive with some of them rejoicing that the club didn’t have to pay massive wages anymore. Here are some of the best reactions:
Imagine most of the players wages we sign this summer will probably amount to his total wages combined. Hopefully this is a turning point for the club.
— Lou Pearce💎🙌🏾 (@LouPearce5) June 30, 2021
No obligations.
Financial or otherwise.— Ctrl Alt Del 2021 💙 (@Envizage) June 30, 2021
Thank god and good riddance too.
— Mike (@HighburyMike85) June 30, 2021
Congratulations to the Arsenal
— Kingdavid.E (@KingdavidE1) July 1, 2021
Wonderful 👋🏻👌
— Toby Stewart (@burieddreams83) June 30, 2021
Thank God.
— Patrick Ngigi (@NgigiP2037) June 30, 2021
Arsenal Fever View
Ozil’s arrival in the summer of 2013 was a watershed moment for the Gunners. After many years of not willing to spend big money, Arsenal finally splurged on one of the world’s best players.
In hindsight, it probably did not work out as well as some might have hoped but nonetheless, the move was a success. The German played a huge role in three of the four FA Cup wins since he came to north London.
And on the pitch, there have been some truly memorable moments courtesy of the midfielder’s incredible skill on the ball. Despite what may have happened off the pitch, few could match the playmaker’s ability and vision on the pitch.
As the 32-year-old continues his footballing journey in Turkey, Gunners fans will be hoping that he does well. The mammoth contract that was given to Ozil in January of 2018 was necessary at the time but has proven to be a burden on the club.
But now that they have gotten this contract off the books, the hierarchy can use the money to fund moves in the transfer window. Ozil’s legacy at the Emirates is a complicated one and there will be mixed reactions, but the fact is that he was a transformative signing that showed the rest of Europe that Arsenal could spend big. It is a pity his tenure ended this way but he did provide some unforgettable memories.
Read More: Arsenal have arrived at a crossroads, its time to deliver
