Mesut Ozil's agent has confirmed that if his client moves to Turkey this month, he is only willing to join Fenerbahce.
Ozil is widely expected to depart Arsenal in January and bring a torrid few years to an end. The attacking midfielder has barely featured over the past two seasons with Mikel Arteta even leaving him out of the Gunners' 25-man Premier League squad at the beginning of the campaign.
Fenerbahce and MLS side DC United have both been reported to be leading the race for his signature recently, however 90min understands that the Turkish side have agreed a deal to sign him on loan this month, before recruiting him permanently when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Recently, Ozil said that he would like to play in both Turkey and the United States before he retires. His agent, Erkut Sogut, has since said that the only Turkish club he would consider joining is Fener, while also giving an update on the progress of negotiations.
"Mesut Ozil can now meet with any club he wants, sign a contract. Whatever is best for Mesut," he told beIN sports (via Asist Analiz).
"Mesut only lacks match fitness. There is no training lacking. Mesut is fit for now. Everyone knows that Mesut is from Fenerbahce. He announced it yesterday. Mesut is not just a football player. Mesut is Fenerbahce.
"He always said that if he came to Turkey, he would only play for Fenerbahce. I think it is very important that Mesut comes not only as a footballer but also as a lover of Fenerbahce. There is a process at the moment. We can’t say it’s over until we’ve signed it in the process. I hope so."
There had been some suggestion that Ozil may opt to sign for Istanbul Basaksehir, thanks to his close relationship with Turkish president and club chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, these comments corroborate what 90min learned last week. Namely, that Erdogan is willing to let Ozil choose his destination and he is willing to use his influence to make the move happen, in a bid to boost national prestige.
Source : 90min