FIFA’s regulations on contract terminations could allow Mesut Ozil and other Premier League players to leave their clubs for free, if pay cuts are enforced without consent.

Ozil has been singled out after a report this week identified him as one of three ​Arsenal players ​reluctant to take a 12.5% pay cut in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Given his £350,000 per week salary, he has been heavily criticised for apparent greed, especially since the majority of the Gunners squad have already agreed to the cuts.

Those criticisms fail to take into account ​Ozil’s reasoning – concerns over how the money would be used by the club’s famously tight-fisted hierarchy – and the fact he is said to be happy to take an even bigger pay cut than his team-mates once he is convinced by the process. 

Little mention is made of his charity work either, as the former Germany international donates £2m every year to a number of good causes, so perhaps ‘greedy’ is jumping the gun in this instance. 

But in any case, if a cut is forced on Ozil before he agrees to it, FIFA’s regulations on changed contract terms mean that he, along with any other player in his position, would have grounds to walk out on the remainder of their deal. 

Article 14 of ​FIFA’s ‘Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players’ states (as per ​The I): “A contract may be terminated by either party without consequences of any kind (either payment of compensation or imposition of sporting sanctions) where there is just cause.

“Any abusive conduct of a party aiming at forcing the counter-party to terminate or change the terms of the contract shall entitle the counter-party (a player or a club) to terminate the contract with just cause.”

Ozil’s deal is due to expire in summer 2021, but it’s thought Arsenal remain confident of a compromise over a pay cut which would help them manage the coronavirus crisis. 

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