Arsenal and Mesut Ozil are nearing an agreement that will free the former Germany international from his contract at the Emirates Stadium.
Ozil’s deal runs until June 30 but the playmaker will be free to depart in a matter of days.
The 32-year-old has been frozen out by Mikel Arteta, who left him out of Arsenal’s squads for the Premier League and the Europa League back in September.
Ozil played his last game for the club in a 1-0 victory over West Ham on 7 March 2020.
And the former Real Madrid man is closing in on a move to Fenerbahce, the Turkish club he supported as a boy.
According to the Guardian, Arsenal are close to reaching a settlement with a player they signed for £42.5m in 2013.
Ozil has also been linked with a move to MLS but Fenerbahce have emerged as the frontrunners in the race for his signature.
Personal terms between Ozil and the Turkish club are unlikely to be a problem, and a deal could be announced as early as next weekend.
“I look very positively on behalf of the community and the president, but I do not see it easily. We have plans of our own,” Fenerbahce director Emre Belozoglu told reporters earlier this week.
“Mesut also has a contract with his club. He is a superstar. We are talking about a player who contributed to a goal in every other game at every club he has played for. I would be very pleased if Fenerbahce could have such a player.
“We had a meeting with him and his manager. Mesut is closer than ever. The fact that Mesut had this childhood dream and Fenerbahce had the dream has made this step so close for the first time.
“After the meeting process with Mesut’s club is over, we will hold meetings between ourselves. If Mesut agrees with his club on the terms we want, it won’t stretch our financial limits this year.
“Fenerbahce and other clubs no longer have the power to bring in footballers on €4-5 million contracts. There will be no numbers that would disturb the balance or affect the salaries of other players, we do not have that ability.”
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