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Mesut Ozil 'receives Sh1 billion Arsenal loyalty bonus' despite not playing this season

Football

By Mirror | Oct 12, 2020

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game, during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Newcastle United, at the Emirates Stadium, in London, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)

Mesut Özil has not played a game for Arsenal for several months.

But the Gunners are still counting the cost of their inability to offload the German playmaker.

According to The Athletic, Özil was paid a loyalty bonus amounting to £8million at the end of September.

The north London club splashed the cash to land Özil from Real Madrid back in 2013, when he signed a long term deal for a £42.5million fee.

He signed a new contract in January 2018 until the summer of 2021, making him the club’s highest earner on £350,000-a-week.

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And it has now emerged the deal included a lucrative loyalty bonus in a bid to convince him to stay for the entirety of the contract.

**Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil with the club's mascot, the giant Gunnersaurus. [Courtesy]**

Despite being left out of the side by manager Mikel Arteta and snubbed from Arsenal’s Europa League squad last week, Özil has picked up a hefty fee for staying put.

Arsenal were keen to try and offload Özil but he has remained adamant he will see out his contract - with a £8million loyalty bonus seemingly a contributory factor.

Whilst the payout to Özil is significant, the Gunners are saving money on appearance bonuses with his recent omission.

Özil has not featured in a matchday squad since lockdown and attentions are now on whether he will be included in Arteta’s Premier League squad which must be announced by October 20.

Speaking to The Athletic about his predicament back in August, Özil said: “My position is clear.

“I’m here through to the last day of our agreement and I’ll give everything I have for this club.

“Situations like these will never break me, they only make me stronger. I showed in the past that I can come back into the team and I will show it again.”