Arsenal pay Ozil £8 million loyalty bonus
Arsenal paid Mesut Ozil an £8 million loyalty bonus in September, according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.
The German playmaker has been in the news in recent days after it was announced that he had been omitted from the North London club’s 25-man Europa League squad.
After starting Arteta’s first ten Premier League games as Arsenal manager, Ozil has not made a single appearance for the club. He has been absent from every matchday squad so far this season. The Gunners have made it abundantly clear that they would prefer if he wasn’t still at the club.
The former Real Madrid midfielder has reiterated his desire to see out his contract with Arsenal which expires next summer. There has been interest in the player from clubs in the Middle East but Ozil has refused to leave North London.
It has now emerged that Arsenal paid the World Cup winner an £8 million loyalty bonus as per the three and a half year contract he signed with the Gunners in January 2018.
At that point, the club were desperate for Ozil to extend his stay in North London and wanted him to stay until the end of his contract. As a result, they included the loyalty bonus which many other players also benefit from.
Ozil will be waiting to see if he is included in the club’s 25-man Premier League squad which will be announced on October 20th.
The Ozil situation is not a mystery‼️
It is all about money. In my opinion the Board thought that by stopping him from playing would ensure he left and thus save Arsenal appearance bonuses and the loyalty bonus. .
Arteta knows he could use him for the benefit of the team but he has been forbidden by the Board assuming Ozil would give in… oops the Board did not reckon on Ozil being such a tough cookie.
Disgraceful behaviour by the Board if my views are correct. Even if the are the Board won’t admit same. Sad Arteta is so compromised.