Due to injury, the Spanish legend did not even play in his last season in England, and his absence is claimed to have had a significant impact on Ozil’s playing.
Ozil set a career-high with 12 goals in the 2016-17 season, his final alongside Cazorla.
He never scored more than six goals in a single season until he departed Arsenal for Fenerbahce in January 2021, having fallen out of favor under Mikel Arteta.
Erkut Sogut, Mesut Ozil’s agent, claims that his client would have been willing to take a wage reduction at Arsenal if he had understood where the money was going.
Mikel Arteta had shut out the German international during his final season at the club, but before that, the whole first-team squad had been requested to take a 15% wage reduction owing to the financial effect of the epidemic, with the bulk of the players finally agreeing on 12.5 percent.
However, Ozil was not among them, and the playmaker was immediately chastised by many as his popularity among fans and with Arteta plummeted considerably.
At the same time, the Gunners were heavily chastised for laying off 55 employees, prompting Ozil to speak out and promise to pay the salaries of long-term club employee Jerry Quy, who played the role of mascot Gunnersaurus on matchdays as well as a variety of community-based tasks.
Erkut Sogut, Ozil’s agent, told AFTV about how Cazorla’s departure affected him: “He had Santi for a while and he loved him. “
I believe he considers him to be one of his favorite players. Mesut is a sharp, clever player who reads the game and is always on the lookout.
“He enjoys playing with intelligent players.”
“If you’re a No10, the one in front of you and the one behind you, a good striker and a good No6 who cleans it up and sees you and plays the ball to you so you can make the final pass.”
“Santi is very smart, very intelligent, and has great technique, and having him behind him suited Mesut a lot.”
Sogut told Arsenal Fan TV that Ozil’s refusal had nothing to do with greed, but rather with his desire for the club to safeguard its staff.
“With the salary cut, he asked me ‘Where is the money going?’,” Sogut explained.
“He didn’t want to purchase another player. He wanted to do it if it meant securing the workplace.”
After being left out of Arteta’s Premier League team last season, Ozil ultimately joined Fenerbahce in January 2021, but his time there hasn’t gone as planned, as he was suspended by the club last week.
Despite his current problems and allegations, Sogut maintains that Ozil’s heart has always been in the right place.
Erkut Sogut, Mesut Ozil’s agent, has spoken out about his client’s tenure at Arsenal, explaining why he refused a wage reduction in 2020. In the summer of 2013, the former German international moved to north London for a then-club-record fee of £42.5 million from Real Madrid.
During his period at the Emirates Stadium, the gifted playmaker helped the team win three FA Cups before heading for Turkish giants Fenerbahce in January 2021. His tenure with the Gunners was filled with exhilarating events as well as controversy, notably his decision to turn down a wage reduction offer from the club during the early days of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Sogut has now described what transpired during the wage cut suggestions, saying on AFTV’s YouTube channel, “Mesut wanted guarantees that the money would be used for people inside the club and that no one would be fired.” And Mesut has stated that if this occurs, he is prepared to contribute more than the 15%.
“He said ‘I can give 30, I don’t mind,’ as long as it’s proven and signed.” Sogut also revealed some of Ozil’s moving charitable efforts, mentioning the 33-year-involvement old’s with cancer-stricken youngsters.
