Arsenal assist king Mesut Ozil has accused the club of freezing him out over his political opinions.
Signed from Real Madrid, Ozil played for Arsenal between 2013 and 2021, but his status at the Emirates Stadium declined rapidly after he spoke out about human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims in China at the end of 2019.
Ozil was eventually allowed to join Istanbul giants Fenerbahce on a free transfer, an outcome he does not believe is unconnected to his earlier statements.
"I heard about Uighur Turks and then I made my research. Then, of course, as a star, I had a voice. And I knew also if I post something about this kind of thing, I will get in trouble. But I didn’t care. I posted and I am happy," the Gelsenkirchen-born Germany international said at the Leadership in the Age of Confusion Summit.
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"So, of course, they closed [on] me the doors. They didn’t let me play anymore. I understand also my team-mates. So, when they get in touch with me, they will also be in trouble.
"Of course, I had difficult times because you know I was enjoying playing football. They just took it away from me."
At the time of Ozil's social media post, China was already accused of extensive human rights abuses against Uighurs, a population of Turkic Muslims, in Xinjiang.
Allegations include the internment of more than a million people and, according to some international organisations, possible genocide.
Why would Arsenal freeze out a player over China comments?
Ozil is on record as saying that Arsenal essentially chose to prioritise their commercial interests in China over supporting his right to speak out on matters that were important to him.
The immediate reaction of the club more than a year before Ozil's contract was mutually terminated suggested that they weren't entirely in their player's corner.
"Arsenal distanced themselves from Ozil’s comments at the time and released a statement on Chinese social media platform Weibo saying they do not involve themselves in politics," reports GiveMeSport.
Ozil's departure was drawn-out and brought an unsatisfactory conclusion to a Gunners career of genuine distinction.
He arrived in London as one of football's highest-rated playmakers and went on to win the FA Cup four times with the Gunners.
The German international also won the World Cup during his time with Arsenal, for whom he played more than 250 times in all competitions.
His time at Fenerbahce was brief and he retired from playing in 2023. He is now directly involved in Turkish politics as a board member of the Justice and Development Party.
Topics: Arsenal, Mesut Ozil
Chris Nee