Mesut Ozil was the talk of much transfer talk last January as things looked to be turning sour at Arsenal. Fellow star player Alexis Sanchez had just left and Arsene Wenger looked like he was also heading out of the club, leaving many Arsenal fans fearing the worst.
Now Ozil’s agent, Erkut Sogut, has revealed in an interview with the Evening Standard, just how much money Ozil could have earned had he decided to leave the club.
“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.”
According to his agent, Ozil turned down deals from Asia worth £1 million-per-week which would have made him the highest paid footballer in the world. That works out at £99 per minute!
He continued: “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. His market is worldwide.
'It came down to what was in his heart. 'We were free to sign with other clubs and, in the end, Mesut loves the club. I put everything to him and he just said, "This is my home, I want to be here."'
Ozil agreed terms on a cushy new £350k a week with the Gunners, but he could have been earning almost treble that elsewhere.