Mesut Ozil has revealed a lack of information was one of the reasons he refused to take a pay cut at Arsenal.
The majority of the Gunners' squad agreed to take pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic, when a lack of money coming into clubs posed serious questions over how they would be able to honour contractual obligations.
Yet, in a decision that attracted criticism from some quarters, Ozil declined to take a cut, despite being one of the highest earners at Arsenal.
In a new interview with the Athletic, Ozil said that the Gunners did not offer enough clarity over what the pay cuts would be used for.
Revealing that others also declined to take a cut, Ozil said he had been made a scapegoat for the decision, arguing that it was one of the reasons he failed to make an appearance when the Premier League restarted.
"As players, we all wanted to contribute,” Ozil said. "But we needed more information and many questions were unanswered.
"Everyone was fine with a deferral while there was so much uncertainty — I would have been OK to take a bigger share — and then a cut if required, once the football and financial outlook was clearer.
"But we were rushed into it without proper consultation.
"For anyone in this situation, you have a right to know everything, to understand why it is happening and where the money is going.
"But we didn’t get enough details, we just had to give a decision. It was far too quick for something so important and there was a lot of pressure.
"This was not fair, especially for the young guys, and I refused.
"I had a baby at home and have commitments to my family here, in Turkey and in Germany — to my charities, too, and also a new project we started to support people in London that was from the heart and not for publicity.
He added: "People who know me know exactly how generous I am and, as far as I’m aware, I was not the only player who rejected the cut in the end, but only my name came out.
"I guess that’s because it is me and people have been trying for two years to destroy me, to make me unhappy, to push an agenda they hope will turn the supporters against me and paint a picture that is not true.
"Possibly the decision affected my chances on the pitch, I don’t know. But I’m not afraid to stand up for what I feel is right — and when you see what has happened now with the jobs, maybe I was."
