Schalke would welcome the opportunity to bring Mesut Ozil back to Veltins-Arena sometime in the future, as per their head of supervisory board.
In an interview with German magazine Kicker, as reported by ESPN, Schalke’s head of supervisory board Clemens Tonnies has claimed that the club would welcome Mesut Ozil back with open arms, although they do not have any intention of signing the Arsenal playmaker next summer.
“I still have a great relationship with Mesut. We would definitely consider it [a return]. If it fits for both sides, it would be nice. The player could say that he returns to his roots, and that he plays football in this stadium and for those fans and the region once again. But it will certainly not happen next season.”
Mesut Ozil has been considered to be one of the best playmakers in the world for several years now, with the player proving himself to be a key figure for Arsenal as well as Germany. But while he has been a joy to watch on the field, off it, things haven’t exactly been hunky dory.
The player has been in a contract standoff with the North London club for better part of the last twelve months and there are major concerns surrounding his future at the Emirates, with his contract set to run out at the end of the season.
30 – Mesut Ozil has created more goalscoring chances from open play than any other Premier League player this season (30). Brew. pic.twitter.com/4TcMPjcwmx
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 20, 2017
While Arsenal have put numerous offers on the table, they have not managed to find a breakthrough, with Ozil refusing to put pen to paper on a new deal. With the Germany international adamant to run down his contract, he looks set to move away from the Emirates as a free agent, unless he is sold in January.
As per widespread reports, Ozil is being pursued by a number of top clubs across Europe, who are looking to pounce on his uncertain situation at Arsenal. And there could be another suitor vying for the player’s signature in the future, although they are not looking to join the chasing pack next summer.
Schalke have been on an upward trajectory under Domenico Tedesco this season, with the club sitting in second place in the Bundesliga table at the present moment. But, with Max Meyer and Leon Goretzka currently in the final year of their respective contracts, Die Konigsblauen could soon be in the market for a playmaker.
Schalke’s current stance on Ozil might be a reflection of their confidence in tying the aforementioned duo to new deals before the end of the season. Should they be unable to do so, we might just see them make a move for their former player next summer.
For now, both Schalke and Arsenal would be concentrating on getting their prized assets to sign their respective renewals. But, a future reunion definitely seems to be on the cards, more than a decade after Ozil left his boyhood club to join Werder Bremen.
