• Mesut Ozil with other Arsenal substitutes during the Premier League match at Southampton on June 25, 2020. Getty
    Mesut Ozil with other Arsenal substitutes during the Premier League match at Southampton on June 25, 2020. Getty
  • Mesut Ozil is challenged by West Ham's Angelo Ogbonna during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium on March 7, 2020, his last appearance. AFP
    Mesut Ozil is challenged by West Ham's Angelo Ogbonna during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium on March 7, 2020, his last appearance. AFP
  • Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil being chased by Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips during the FA Cup third round match at the Emirates Stadium on January 6, 2020. AFP
    Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil being chased by Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips during the FA Cup third round match at the Emirates Stadium on January 6, 2020. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil after his team went 1-0 down in the Premier League match at home to Manchester City on December 15, 2019. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil after his team went 1-0 down in the Premier League match at home to Manchester City on December 15, 2019. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil during the Premier League match at home to Southampton on November 23, 2019. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil during the Premier League match at home to Southampton on November 23, 2019. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil skips past Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil skips past Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse. AFP
  • Arsenal's Mesut Ozil is closed down by Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic during the Premier League match at home to Manchester United on January 1, 2020. AFP
    Arsenal's Mesut Ozil is closed down by Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic during the Premier League match at home to Manchester United on January 1, 2020. AFP
  • Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mesut Ozil. AFP
    Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mesut Ozil. AFP
  • Manchester United striker Anthony Martial under pressure from Mesut Ozil. AFP
    Manchester United striker Anthony Martial under pressure from Mesut Ozil. AFP

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil linked with move to Saudi Arabia side Al Nassr


John McAuley
  • English
  • Arabic

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil is said to have attracted interest from Saudi Arabia side Al Nassr.

Reports in Turkey claimed on Monday that the Riyadh club are preparing an offer of around $20 million (Dh73.5m) per year in wages for Ozil, although the German midfielder recently said he would remain at the north London club. Ozil is believed to have interest also from Qatar.

The former Real Madrid star, 31, is understood to still be Arsenal’s highest-paid player, with his weekly wages reported to be £350,000 (Dh1.7m). Despite that, he did not feature for manager Mikel Arteta following the 2019/20 Premier League’s restart in June. His contract with Arsenal runs until next year.

Ozil attracted heavy criticism this year by refusing to follow his teammates in taking a pay-cut during lockdown, but told The Athletic afterwards that his current deal "should be respected by everyone", implying he would stay.

Arteta, meanwhile, has hinted that Ozil would be given a clean slate heading into the new Premier League campaign, which begins on September 12. On Saturday, his side defeated champions Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield.

Nine-time domestic champions, Nassr are looking to strengthen their squad having this week relinquished the Saudi Pro League title to Al Hilal. The capital club sit six points behind their city rivals with two rounds to go, but lost the crown given their inferior head-to-head record.

Nassr’s most notable foreign players include former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones and former Leicester City midfielder Ahmed Musa.

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The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

Suggested picnic spots

Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
 
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes 

Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica

Best Agent: Jorge Mendes

Best Club : Liverpool   

 Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)  

 Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

 Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

 Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

 Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player:  Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

 Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

 Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)

 Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs