Mesut Ozil speaks on pay cut refusal, says Arsenal didn't give details, 'forced' players

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, once a fan favourite at the Emirates, has seen his popularity drastically decline in north London in recent months. Having seen reduced game time over the past couple of seasons, the former Real Madrid man also received flak from fans after he refused to take a pay cut amid the COVID-19 crisis. Speaking on the same, Ozil shed light on why he stood firm on his stance regarding the pay cuts at Arsenal.

Also Read | Mesut Ozil to leave Arsenal only for Turkey or USA as Arteta plans exit: Report

No clarity from Arsenal on pay cut: Mesut Ozil 

Mesut Ozil is bound with Arsenal by a contract that runs until 2021 and sees him earn £350,000 per week ($457,000). Amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Arsenal urged players to agree to a pay cut, but the German refused to do so. Speaking to The Athletic this week, Ozil insisted that his refusal to agree to the pay cut may have been one of the reasons for the decline in his game time. 

Further elaborating on the reason for not accepting a pay cut, Ozil blamed the Arsenal management instead. The 31-year-old claimed that the club divulged very little detail on the pay cut issue, insisting that he had the right to know every aspect of the decision that was 'imposed' on the players. He asserted that he has commitment towards his family, both in England and in Germany, depends on his wages at the club, while also claiming that he spends money on charitable activities out of the limelight. 

Also Read | Arsenal legend Paul Merson slams Mesut Ozil as ‘one of the worst players without the ball’

Pay cut wasn't fair: Mesut Ozil 

Mesut Ozil stated that he wasn't the only player to have stood against the pay cuts. However, the German insists he was made the scapegoat in this situation. He believes that this was just one of the several attempts to malign his image over the past couple of years. "There are young players in the team who depend on the wages from the club, and the pay cut wasn't fair," the midfield maestro told The Athletic. Ozil received considerable backlash from fans, but while most of the players did agree to the pay cuts, the club still made 55 members of staff redundant earlier this month. 

Also Read | Mesut Ozil slammed as ‘an absolute disgrace’ and ‘a bad smell’ by former Chelsea star

Mesut Ozil is here to stay 

Having joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013, Ozil emerged as one of the prominent figures at the Emirates. Having completed seven seasons with the Gunners, the midfielder has managed 254 appearances across all competitions. However, he saw his career hanging by a thread after the arrival of Unai Emery, who did not quite take a shine to the German No.10.

With just one season left in his Arsenal contract, rumours have been doing the rounds that Mesut Ozil might be sold by the club to reap maximum financial gains rather than letting him leave on a free. It is also clear that the Gunners do not wish to extend his stay beyond the current deal. Speaking on his move, the midfielder suggested that he will continue with the club until his contract runs down, stating that he could still make a valuable contribution for Mikel Arteta. He also lashed out at his critics, saying that such situations have served to demonise him but he will emerge stronger.  

Also Read | Arsenal have paid a mammoth £15.75m per goal and £787,500 per tackle to Mesut Ozil: Report

Image courtesy: Mesut Ozil Instagram