The president of Fenerbahce Ali Koc has revealed they are locked in negotiations to sign attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil from Arsenal.

In a Twitter Q&A yesterday, the former German international did confirm that he would be interested in playing in Turkey for Fenerbahce and Koc says that, while there are no guarantees a move will be finalised, progress is being made in talks:

“Mesut Ozil is still a dream. Not a single person from Fenerbahce has not made a statement. There are issues between Mesut and Arsenal. We are closer than before. There is nothing finished. It may or may not end. It is in our hands to come out of the news as it is finished.”

“The club knows what the coach wants and our transfer policy is guided by that. We speak when the signatures are signed. The news comes out until the signatures but we only talk after the signatures.”

Koc’s claim that there are “issues” between the Gunners and Ozil likely means there is a dispute over how much compensation the player would be due, if they terminate the 32-year-old’s contract and allow him to join Fenerbahce on a free transfer.

There has always been a feeling that the German would sit on his contract until it expires in the summer and that may still be the case but, from Koc’s comments, it does appear that the player could well leave the Emirates this month.