Mesut Özil turned down “crazy” offers to stay at Arsenal, according to the player’s agent.
The German signed a three-and-a-half year contract extension in February, a deal which will keep him tied to the Emirates through the 2020-21 season.
Staying in North London, Özil supposedly rejected lucrative offers from Asia to go and play elsewhere.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Dr Erkut Sogut said:
We had some really big offers from Asia, there were some crazy offers. But for Mesut, money was by no means the biggest factor,
Money is definitely one important thing to consider, but people must remember that footballing ability is just one aspect of a contract negotiation. The commercial impact of a footballer is crucial nowadays.
Mesut has the biggest social media following of any player in the Premier League and I just read that his shirt numbers (sales) were the largest at the club. So, the commercial side is very big with a player like Mesut, who has played in different countries and was the No 10 of the national team, where he won the World Cup.
His market is worldwide. The club makes money out of these players as well, but it came down to what was in his heart.
Manager Unai Emery has handed Özil the captain’s armband in recent fixtures, suggesting the 30-year-old is a part of the long-term future at Arsenal.
