Mesut Özil 'Among Arsenal Trio' to Reject Pay Cuts Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Midfielder Mesut Özil is reported to be one of three players​ who have rejected the idea of taking a 12.5% pay cut because of the coronavirus outbreak.


Despite resistance from some players, Arsenal confirmed that players, coaches and manager Mikel Arteta will ​all take the wage cut over the next 12 months, with the lost income set to be reimbursed if on-field targets are reached.

Mikel Arteta

However, according to ​The Mirror, it was not all smooth sailing during the negotiations as ​Özil was one of three ​Arsenal players who were unimpressed with the idea of taking a pay cut at this current stage of the pandemic.


Özil, who earns around £350,000-a-week, is said to have informed teammates that he may be willing to slash his salary in the future, but not until he has seen the full extent of the current situation, so he has joined the other two players in refusing to accept the decision.

His agent, Dr Erkut Sögüt, has previously criticised the idea of accepting pay cuts at this point, suggesting that clubs are still generating more than enough money to fulfil their contractual obligations.

“It is not easy for everyone but it’s time for the clubs to talk directly to the players and their representatives to solve this problem," he said in a ​Football Business Academy webinar.

“This is what we are lacking right now. And the one thing that can be done is a deferral. That is a start, to say, ‘Let’s defer these payments to the end of the year or next year’.

Dr. Erkut Sogut

“I wouldn’t recommend agreeing a cut today because I don’t know tomorrow if the league will be played, if clubs will get TV and sponsorship money.

“What the exact financial impact is on the clubs, we can see three to six months later — but we can’t see it today. Deferral is an option but not to agree a cut today when the clubs may still make the same profit as last year."


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Source : 90min