Mesut Özil is in ongoing talks with Arsenal to agree a deal to terminate his contract and willing to forgo a proportion of the money he is owed.

David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that Mesut Özil is willing to give up some of the money he’s owed in his current Arsenal contract to secure a move away from the club in January.

If Özil stays until June, Arsenal will pay him around £7m. The two parties are in negotiations over exactly how much of that he’d receive if he terminates his contract early and moves to Fenerbahce.

The Turkish club are the only side in the mix if he leaves this month.

Normally, a player gives up all the money they’re owed in one contract when they move to another club. It’s rare that your club will choose to pay you money not to play for them, but that’s where the situation is right now.

Özil is using the threat of sticking around until the end of his deal to ensure he gets paid twice, by both Arsenal and his new club. But I suppose it’s nice he’s willing to give some of that £7m up.

DC United are also a potential destination for Özil, but only in the summer. If he leaves now, it’ll be for Fenerbahce.

From an Arsenal point of view, getting the Özil situation resolved and saving at least some of the money they currently owe him would be a positive conclusion to a very messy year in the 32-year-old’s spell with the club.

Özil’s agent confirmed on Tuesday that the player has only just completed his quarantine period after visiting his family in Germany. As a result, he’s now able to go wherever he wants again and potentially finalise that exit.