Ex-Arsenal Star Finds New Club Following Contract Termination

Ex-Arsenal star Mesut Özil has signed for Turkish Süper Lig outfit İstanbul Başakşehir after leaving Fenerbahçe by mutual consent.

The former Emirates Stadium favourite has found a new club just days after his reported exit from Fenerbahçe was finalised.

Özil will now represent Başakşehir after agreeing a one-year-deal with the club from the Turkish capital.

Başakşehir also hold the option to renew Özil’s contract for a further campaign, until 2024, as they aim to better last season’s fourth-placed finish.

The former Germany international sees his time at boyhood club Fenerbahçe come down to a similar conclusion to the dying embers of his Arsenal career.

After more than a year at the club, Özil, alongside his teammate Ozan Tufan, now at Hull City, were suspended at club level for unspecified reasons.

The recent arrival of no-nonsense and free-spending Jorge Jesus marked a definitive end to the German’s time at Fenerbahçe after both parties found common ground on his contract termination.

On his anticipated departure, the ex-Real Madrid star stated:

“Our plans, desires and wishes may not always go in the direction you want them to."

“I wanted to achieve success by getting more chances to play in the Fenerbahce jersey, which has always been my childhood dream."

"I would like to thank the Fenerbahçe community and fans for the great support they have shown me."

Linked with a switch to Championship side Hull, much like Tufan, Özil opted to remain local and sign for city neighbours Başakşehir instead after 37 appearances and nine goals for Fenerbahçe.

The 2014 World Cup winner’s time in North London was far more glamorous.

He represented the Gunners on 184 occasions in the Premier League across six-and-a-half years.

After collecting four FA Cup winners medals and contributing to the Gunners’ first piece of silverware for nine years, things also ended on a sour note in his final months at the Premier League club.

Following run-ins with former boss Unai Emery and the club itself, the German’s stand-off with current manager Mikel Arteta proved to be his final act as an Arsenal player. 

In January 2021, with little less than six months remaining on his Arsenal contract, Özil also terminated his deal with the club to make way for a switch to Fenerbahçe.

The 33-year-old will now hope to settle in and avoid any more disputes in his new home.