Manchester United are reportedly looking to land Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil on a free transfer next summer.
According to a report by The Sun, Mesut Ozil is likely to leave Arsenal on a free transfer at the end of this season. If he does, the player is expected to join Manchester United. Although the Gunners have been convincing Ozil to sign a new deal, there have not been any concrete developments.
The 28-year-old is believed to have turned down several offers made by Arsenal and is understood to be seeking an exit. Moreover, Ozil will be happy to reunite with Jose Mourinho at Manchester United – he played under the Portuguese manager during his time at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013.
Mesut Ozil has been a key figure in manager Arsene Wenger’s first-team squad ever since Arsenal shelled out a then-club record sum of £42.5 million to sign him from Real Madrid back in the summer of 2013. In four seasons at the North London club, he has played an instrumental role in their fortunes.
In the last campaign, however, Ozil endured a dip in form for major parts of the first half of the season before a late surge in performance saw him end the campaign with 12 goals and 14 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions.
Despite the initial hiccup, Ozil will always be a vital component in Wenger’s first-team plans at the Emirates since his creativity and vision continues to be unparalleled. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Arsenal have been offering him lucrative deals in an attempt to retain him.
However, their efforts may not yield positive results with Ozil open to a switch to Old Trafford. For now, Mourinho has an enviable amount of depth in his attack, especially when it comes to his playmakers, with the likes of Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan going strong.
Having said that, signing Ozil could prove to be a good move for United, with the numbers painting a telling picture. Ozil has created the most number of chances in the Premier League since he joined Arsenal, while providing the most assists as well.
Thus, Ozil is an ideal player for Mourinho to consider, although it remains to be seen if the move materialises, with Arsenal fighting tooth and nail to get the player to sign on the dotted line.