Fenerbahce have furiously denied that Mesut Ozil is refusing to play for the club due to unpaid wages, branding reports on the matter as 'fake news'.
Turkish broadcaster Volkan Demir suggested on television channel A Spor that the former Arsenal midfielder had gone on strike over not being paid.
Ozil has not featured for Fenerbahce since January 19, missing the last seven matches in all competitions because of a back injury.
Following the claim that the real reason for the German's absence was salary-related, the Turkish Super Lig outfit released a strongly worded statement to refute the idea.