One More Step In Fenerbahce's Uniform, Ozil: God Willing, I Will Wear It With Respect

JAKARTA - Midfielder Mesut Ozil arrived in Turkey on Monday, January 18 morning to complete the process of moving from Arsenal to Fenerbahce.

Ozil previously said he was "very excited" to play for the former Turkish champions and he was in good form despite not playing football for almost a year. The 32-year-old midfielder has not played for Arsenal since March last year and has not been included in the Premier League and Europa League squads this season.

Ozil has long been linked with a transfer to Fenerbahce, Turkey's second most respected club.

"Our club brought Mesut Ozil to Istanbul to continue the transfer process," wrote the club on their Twitter account.

Bilgilendirme | Kulübümüz, transfer süreçlerini ilerletmek için Mesut Özil'i İstanbul'a getiriyor. 💛💙 Club Statement: Our club is bringing Mesut Özil to Istanbul to continue the transfer processes. pic.twitter.com/Wt0gR8xRSk

- Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) January 17, 2021

Speaking to Turkish television NTV, the player of Turkish descent said he was looking forward to playing for Fenerbahce, the club he has supported all his life.

"I am a Fenerbahce fan. That is why I am very happy to come to Turkey with Fenerbahce," he said.

"I am very excited. God gave me the opportunity to wear this jersey as a Fenerbahce fan. God willing, I will wear it with respect and do all I can for the team," he added.

"Of course, I missed a few games. I haven't played one game in a while, but I am physically fit, I have no problems," he said.

The former Real Madrid player explained that he continued to train with the first team at Arsenal during his absence at the Gunners.

Ozil also posted an image on his Twitter account showing his family sitting in a private jet with the Fenerbahce flag in the background.

🔜 🇹🇷💛💙✈️ pic.twitter.com/WfFg5m1stp

- Mesut Özil (@ MesutOzil1088) January 17, 2021

So far, Arsenal have not officially announced the transfer, but British media reported on Sunday that they had reached an oral agreement to terminate the World Cup champions' contract.

Ozil became Arsenal's most expensive player when he was brought in in 2013 at a cost of around £ 42 million from Real Madrid.

He played a vital role under coach Arsene Wenger in their quest to end Arsenal's trophy drought, winning the FA Cup in his first season.

However, he was marginalized under Unai Emery and current coach Mikel Arteta, who said that Ozil did not fit into his team's style of play.