Mesut Ozil claims Arsenal forced his exit over Uighur Muslim comments
Former Germany international Mesut Ozil has stated that Arsenal effectively ended his career at the club after he publicly condemned the treatment of Uighur Muslims in China in late 2019.
The retired playmaker opened up about his controversial departure from the Emirates Stadium during a recent leadership summit.
He claimed the north London hierarchy deliberately shut him out of first-team opportunities following his social media posts addressing human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region.
Arsenal quickly distanced themselves from the controversy at the time.
Isolation and Emirates departure
The Premier League outfit released a statement on the Chinese platform Weibo insisting they strictly avoided political involvement.
Despite the immediate fallout, the World Cup winner actually made 13 further appearances for the club.
He was subsequently omitted from the squad entirely once professional football resumed following the initial Covid-19 suspension in March 2020.
Speaking on the situation, the creative midfielder admitted he understood why his colleagues maintained their distance to protect their own careers.
“I heard about Uighur Turks and then I made my research,” Ozil explained.
“Then, of course, as a star, I had a voice, and I knew also if I post something about this kind of thing, I will get in trouble.”
“So, of course, they closed the doors on me. They didn’t let me play anymore.”
A decorated but fractured legacy
The former Real Madrid star eventually left English football on a free transfer in January 2021 after agreeing to mutually terminate his contract.
He subsequently relocated to the Super Lig to join Turkish giants Fenerbahce.
Recurring physical issues later forced the technically gifted midfielder to announce his official retirement from the sport in March 2022 following a short stint with Basaksehir.
During his seven-year spell in England, the talismanic figure secured four FA Cups and two Community Shields.
He ultimately amassed 254 total appearances for the Gunners, contributing 44 goals and providing 77 assists across all competitions.