Fenerbahce signs 32-year-old German midfielder Mesut Ozil, who will end his eight-year tenure with Arsenal in the Premier League, the Turkish club announced on Sunday.
Ozil previously said he was “very excited” to play for the former Turkish champions and that he is fit despite having missed almost a year of football.
He hasn’t played for Arsenal since March and has been banned from Premier League and Europa League squads this season.
Ozil has long been linked to a move to Fenerbahce, the second largest Turkish club, who said in a statement on Sunday: “Our club is bringing Mesut Ozil to Istanbul to continue the transfer process.”
Speaking to Turkish broadcaster NTV, Ozil, who is of Turkish descent, said he was looking forward to playing for Fenerbahce, a club he has supported all his life, adding that he will arrive in Istanbul early Monday, to seal his move.
“I’m a Fenerbahce fan, so I’m really excited to come to Turkey with Fenerbahce,” he said.
“I’m very excited. God gave me the chance to wear this shirt as a Fenerbahce fan. If God willing, I will wear it with honor and do everything I can for the team,” he added.
“Obviously I’m missing a few games. I haven’t played a game in a while but I’m physically fit, I have no problems,” he said, adding that he had trained with the first team at Arsenal during his Leisure.
Ozil also posted a picture on Twitter showing his family on a private jet with Fenerbahce flags in the background.
Arsenal have not yet announced their resignation, but the UK media reported on Saturday that they had reached an agreement in principle to terminate the World Cup winner’s contract.
Signed by Real Madrid in 2013 for a record fee of around £ 42m ($ 57m), Ozil played a pivotal role in ending Arsenal’s trophy drought under Arsene Wenger and won the FA Cup in his first season .
But he was marginalized under Wenger’s successor Unai Emery and current manager Mikel Arteta, who said the player was eliminated from the squad for “football reasons”.
