Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil travels to Turkey as Fenerbahce transfer nears completion

The former Germany international is set to end his seven-and-a-half year spell at the Emirates

(Getty Images)

Mesut Ozil said his goodbyes at Arsenal on Sunday and travelled to Turkey ahead of a proposed move to Fenerbahce to end a seven-and-a-half year stay at the Emirates.

Ozil has been out of favour under Mikel Arteta since last March with his £350,000-per-week contract expiring this summer.

And PA reported that the 32-year-old visited Arsenal’s London Colney training ground to meet with team-mates and bid farewell after a dark ending to his time in north London.

Ozil has since travelled to Turkey to finalise his move to the Istanbul club and undertake a medical for Erol Bulut’s side.

The former Germany international had already suggested a move to the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium was imminent after tweeting his initials on Twitter in the club’s famous blue and yellow colours.

READ MORE: Darkness of Mesut Ozil’s Arsenal exit should not overshadow an illuminating career

Ozil could leave the club as a free agent should he refuse to accept an early termination of his contract at the Emirates, but a compromise appears to have been made.

Ozil initially started the first 10 games of the Mikel Arteta era in December 2019, but Ozil has been frozen out since the 1-0 win over West Ham before the coronavirus pandemic forced the league to be suspended.

Arteta opted against including Ozil in Arsenal's Premier League and Europa League squads, even though both the Spaniard and technical director Edu put the decision down to footballing reasons.

Ozil was criticised in some quarters when he refused to take a pay-cut during the summer, with no football being played and Arsenal looking to balance the books.

He had signed his current deal in January 2018 to become the highest-paid player in the club's history but now looks set to depart on a free.

PA contributed to this report