Mesut Ozil snubbed £100million move to Chinese Premier League – despite the president of China being his number one fan
MESUT OZIL has revealed he snubbed an astonishing chance to join the Chinese Super League and earn himself £100million.
Arsenal star Ozil was offered a £20m-a-year deal to join the exodus to the Far East last year after becoming the favourite player of the Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Mesut Ozil has revealed he snubbed a £100million offer to move to ChinaGetty Images
But the Germany World Cup star decided there was no way he wanted to quit top level football to move to China – no matter how much money they were offering.
Ozil said: “When I got an offer from China last summer..the offer was too absurd.
Mesut Ozil said he had no intention of leaving Arsenal for the riches on offer in ChinaPA:Press Association
“The Chinese were prepared to pay me £100million net over a period of five years – a fairy tale amount of money that went beyond the limits of my imagination.
“In spite of this it took me less than three minutes to decline the offer.
“My agent, Erkut, called me to let me know about the bid. He said: ‘I think we’re agreed what we are going to do, aren’t we? You won’t consider it will you?’
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“I’m nowhere near the end of my career, I replied. I still want to win titles with Arsenal.
“I don’t want to play in China no much they’re willing to pay. No way.”
Writing in his new autobiography Gunning for Greatness, Ozil added: “So the matter was settled. In the knowledge, by the way, that Chinese president Xi Jinping is a fan.
China president Xi Jinping is one of the biggest fans of Mesut OzilReuters
"On one occasion Arsenal’s managing director came to tell us that the president had contacted the club asking for my jersey with a dedication. In fact he wanted a Germany shirt and we promised to sort it out.
"That same day a courier picked up the shirt from my house."
Ozil's future at Arsenal is still up in the air as the club limp towards the end of the season in crisis.
Arsene Wenger's side are now desperately fighting to get themselves back into a top four finish and Ozil has decided to wait until the end of the season before he begins contract talks at the Emirates.
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