The troubled relationship between Arsenal and Mesut Ozil could soon find a resolution under the watch of new manager Mikel Arteta. The German playmaker is said to be departing from the Emirates, and his next destination will bring him to Turkey, possibly joining Fenerbahce on loan.
The Gunners are supposedly in touch with executives of the Turkish giants, and the transfer of Ozil is likely to be finalized soon. It might be that the midfielder will exit as early as January or by the end of the season.
"There are reportedly only a few minor issues to resolve before the deal is officially concluded," Talk Sport said.
The report added Damien Comolli, Fenerbahce's director for sports, was in London last week to discuss the details of the transfer, and possibly to iron out the glitches that pertain mostly to Ozil's salary. It is understood that the player's high salary is posing a problem on the deal given the World Cup winner is regarded as among Arsenal's most expensive players.
Per the same report, Ozil jumping to Fenerbache is a logical choice for the German, as suggested by his agent, Erkut Sogut.
"If he were to leave then Fenerbahce would be an option. At the end of the day it is a huge club and I think Ozil would say yes to an offer if it come down to it," Sogut was reported as saying.
In a related report, Metro said Arteta, the newly appointed Arsenal boss, might be inclined to ship out the German international, who has been described as underperforming despite his exorbitant weekly salary of £350,000.
Ozil's struggles started with Unai Emery on the lead, and German saw his playing time diminished as the Spanish coach thought it wise to leave him out of the squad or sub him at some point when on the pitch. His downturn continued even after the sacking of Emery, and pundits have suggested Ozil should be one of the players Arteta has to dismiss for a fresh start.
In a statement, Fenerbahce has made clear that acquiring Ozil would be a plus for the club, saying "he is an important value known with the identity of Fenerbahce."
The club, however, admitted that finalizing a deal on Ozil could prove difficult at the moment.
"Fenerbahce does not have a proposal for Mesut Ozil. Under the current economic conditions, such a step is not possible for both parties ... This could not be realized in the short term," Fenerbahce clarified.
