According to a report from Evening Standard, Mesut Ozil turned down £1m-a-week offers from Asia to stay at Arsenal.
Mesut Ozil has been a key performer for Arsenal ever since he signed for the club in 2013. Under new manager Unai Emery, Ozil has enjoyed good outings and has become a core part of the Arsenal squad.
The Arsenal midfielder was involved in a major controversy following his retirement from international football in the summer, after a dismal World Cup with Germany.
It is now being reported by English media outlet Evening Standard that Mesut Ozil was offered a million/week deal by significant clubs in Asia when he was negotiating a new contract with Arsenal.
In an exclusive interview with Evening Standard, Dr Erkut Sogut explained why it took so long to finalize a new contract for Mesut Ozil at Arsenal.
Mesut Ozil turned down £1m-a-week offers
Dr Erkut Sogut stressed that there were multiple offers from Asia, but money was never the motivational factor for the former German international.
“We had some really big offers from Asia – there were some crazy offers,” his agent stated. While he didn’t reveal the exact figures, the
Evening Standard has claimed that the offers were in the region of £1m-a-week.
“But, for Mesut, money was by no means the biggest factor.”
Sogut insisted that the player of a quality like Mesut Ozil needs to play at the highest level of football.
“Money is definitely one important thing to consider, but people must remember that footballing ability is just one aspect of a contract negotiation. The commercial impact of a footballer is crucial nowadays.
“At the end of the day, this is all information that has to be taken into consideration. So, the commercial side is very big with a player like Mesut, who has played in different countries and was the No10 of the Germany team, where he won the World Cup.”
His agent stated that Mesut Ozil loved Arsenal, and that the midfielder insisted that he wanted to stay there.
“It came down to what was in his heart. We were free to sign with other clubs and, in the end, Mesut loves the club. I put everything to him and he just said, ‘This is my home, I want to be here.”
