Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil rejected offers worth £1million-a-week from Asia earlier this year, according to the Evening Standard.

The German instead committed his long-term future to the Gunners, penning a three-year extension in February worth £350,000-a-week deal, making him the highest paid player in the club's history.

And Ozil's agent, Dr Erkut Sogut, has revealed why the deal took so long to complete.

"We had some really big offers from Asia - there were some crazy offers," revealed Ozil's agent, Dr Erkut Sogut, via the Evening Standard. "But, for Mesut, money was by no means the biggest factor.

"Money is definitely one important thing to consider, but people must remember that footballing ability is just one aspect of a contract negotiation. The commercial impact of a footballer is crucial nowadays.

"Mesut has the biggest social media following of any player in the Premier League and I just read that his shirt numbers (sales) were the largest at the club. At the end of the day, this is all information that has to be taken into consideration.

"So, the commercial side is very big with a player like Mesut, who has played in different countries and was the No10 of the Germany team, where he won the World Cup. His market is worldwide. The club makes money out of these players as well."