German-Turkish midfielder Mesut Ozil has had his contract terminated by Fenerbahce, the club he left Arsenal to join a year ago. The player, instead, will play for rivals Basaksehir in the upcoming edition of the Turkish Super Lig.
Fenerbahce has terminated former Ozil’s contract, eighteen months into his three-and-a-half-year deal. The former German international hasn’t played for the Turkish giants since March 2022, after he was dropped from the squad – a situation made even worse by new manager Jorge Jesus claiming that the “Ozil-era” was over in his very first press conference for the club.
The 33-year-old confirmed his departure in a social media post, thanking the Fenerbahce community for the opportunity. He leaves the club after just 37 appearances, spread across a year, and nine goals – all nine of which he scored in the 2021/22 season.
“One of the things that makes life is that it is full of uncertainties.”
“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 Fenerbahce community and fans for the great support they have shown me,”
he wrote on Instagram.
Following his exit from Fenerbahce, Ozil has signed a one-year contract, with the option to extend it by 12 more months, with Super Lig rivals Istanbul Basaksehir. He joins a squad managed by former Turkey international Emre Belozoglu that finished fourth in the league last season, and contains the likes of Pizzi, Stefano Okaka, and Nacer Chadli.
Basaksehir becomes Ozil’s sixth professional club. Over a long and often-illustrious career, the 2014 World Cup winner has played for Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Fenerbahce. He stands two shy of 100 career goals in 590 appearances spanning 16 years.
Ozil has won the domestic league just once, a title triumph that came at Madrid alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema and under the mentorship of Jose Mourinho. The playmaker would later help the Gunners break their silverware drought, winning three FA Cups in 2014, 2015, and 2017.
