Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Sports Staff

Mesut Ozil: Fenerbahce exclude former Arsenal midfielder from first-team squad

POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Mesut Ozil faces an uncertain future at Fenerbahce after the Turkish club excluded him and team-mate Ozan Tufan from their first-team squad.

Fenerbahce did not explain why Ozil and Tufan had been excluded, or for how long they will be made unavailable for, in a brief statement on Thursday.

Ozil, who signed for Fenerbahce last January following a seven-and-a-half year spell at Arsenal, has captained the Istanbul club at times this season and played in the first half of their win over Konyaspor on Sunday.

He also scored in their win over Alanyaspor the previous week, one of eight goals he has scored for the club this season, after returning from a six-week injury lay-off earlier this month.

Fenerbahce are third in the Turkish Super Lig, 17 points off leaders Trabzonspor, are were eliminated from the Europa League at the group stage phase earlier this season.

The club’s statement read: “Our Football A-Team players Mesut Ozil and Ozan Tufan have been excluded from the squad as per the decision taken. It is announced to the public.”

Ozil has two and a half years left on his Fenerbache contract after taking a significant pay cut to sign for the club after joining from Arsenal.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.