Mesut Ozil’s agent criticises clubs who ask managers to solve pay cut stand-offs

Ozil is among three Arsenal players who have rejected taking a pay cut after the club agreed a 12.5 per cent wage reduction during the coronavirus lockdown

Mesut Ozil’s agent has criticised clubs who ask managers to solve pay cut stand-offs.

Arsenal enlisted Mikel Arteta's help to speak to their first-team squad about taking a salary cut during the coronavirus lockdown. The Independent understands that Ozil is among three Arsenal players who have rejected taking a pay cut after the club on Monday announced that a “voluntary agreement” would see the annual earnings of their first-team players and head coach reduced by 12.5 per cent.

If the Gunners hit certain targets on the pitch, the club says “agreed amounts” will be paid back.

However, Ozil’s agent, Dr Erkut Sogut, has said it is not fair when clubs ask managers or infuential first-team players to intervene on such issues.

“It is not enough for a club to present a proposal to one member of the first team squad and then asked them to go to the rest of the squad and get their consent to do it. That is not how individual contract negotiations should take place,” Sogut told The Athletic.

Ozil will not be taking a salary cut (Getty)

“A club may even ask a first team manager to negotiate with players and this may influence some, particularly younger players or those on the fringe who fear there might be personal repercussions for him if he does not agree.

“In those circumstances it could be questionable that any consent from the players would be legally binding anyway as some players are not in a position to give true consent if they are under pressure to do so.”

Ozil, who is Arsenal’s highest earner with a weekly salary of £350k, would still take home £306k per week before tax if he were to agree to a salary reduction.

The 31-year-old is continuing to donate to a number of charities. Previously, he asked guests at his wedding to forego traditional gifts and instead donate to charity, funding life-changing surgery for 1000 children. And in 2014, he used his World Cup bonus to fund surgery for 23 Brazilian children to have operations, at a cost of £240,000.