Mesut Ozil defends decision to refuse pay cut at Arsenal amid COVID-19 crisis, says people trying to 'destroy' him

While Mesut Ozil has said that he will remain at Arsenal until the end of his contract next summer, he has been frozen out in recent months by head coach Mikel Arteta.

Criticism was levelled at the 31-year-old after he rejected the pay cut despite the extreme circumstances during the coronavirus pandemic. 

However, the German playmaker is determined and has defended his decision to refuse a pay cut at Arsenal insisting that “people have been trying for two years to destroy me”.

Ozil has one more year remaining on his £350,000 per week contract at the Emirates, but Arteta has not selected him since  March 7 against West Ham. This also includes his back injury, which has ruled him out since the Premier League restart.

Ozil also stated there has been an “agenda” against him which are making supporters turn against him.

While talking in an interview given to a foreign publication, Ozil insisted that the Gunners failed to provide sufficient information for him to agree to accept the pay cut.

“As players, we all wanted to contribute. But we needed more information and many questions were unanswered,” Ozil said. “Everyone was fine with a deferral while there was so much uncertainty.

“I would have been OK to take a bigger share and then a cut if required, once the football and financial outlook was clearer.

“But we were rushed into it without proper consultation. For anyone in this situation, you have a right to know everything, to understand why it is happening and where the money is going.

“But we didn’t get enough details, we just had to give a decision. It was far too quick for something so important and there was a lot of pressure.”