Mesut Ozil told close friends that he rejected a pay cut at Arsenal because he would have been able to receive the same lower wage at Fenerbahce, according to reports in Turkey.
The Gunners announced last week they have reached an agreement with the majority of their players over 12.5 per cent pay cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic.
But according to the Mirror, Ozil and two other senior stars turned down the wage reduction - sparking widespread controversy.
The German midfielder received plenty of criticism due to the fact he is Arsenal’s top earner, raking in a staggering £350,000 per week.