Turkish club Basaksehir have announced that former German international Mesut Özil has joined its ranks on a one-year contract, the day after announcing his departure from Fenerbahce.
“Our club has signed Özil to a one-year contract with an option to extend for another year,” the 2020 Turkish champions said in a statement.
Fenerbahce announced on Wednesday that Özil would leave the team two years before his contract expired by “mutual agreement” after he was dropped from the first team at the end of March last year.
The former Arsenal player joined the Turkish club less than a year and a half ago, but was expelled from the squad in the spring after a conflict with management.
Basaksehir finished fourth in the Turkish league last season and the club is known for its close relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who attended the wedding of Özil and former Miss Turkey Amina Gulse.
The Turkish-born player who won the World Cup with Germany in Brazil in 2014 was criticized in Germany shortly before the World Cup in Russia because of his photo with Erdogan.
After condemning “racist” attacks against him, he announced his retirement from international football following the 2018 World Cup.
