Arsenal contract rebel Mesut Ozil is reportedly ready to open talks with Barcelona over a potential move, with the Catalans showing interest in the player.
According to The Sun, Arsenal are about to be dealt a cruel blow as far as their hopes of retaining Mesut Ozil are concerned. The German playmaker is reportedly ready to open talks with Barcelona, who are showing genuine interest in the Arsenal superstar.
According to the Bosman rules governing player’s contracts, Mesut Ozil will be able to conduct talks with Barcelona from the turn of the year and even sign a pre-contract for a move at the end of the season – a transfer that will go through once his Arsenal contract expires.
Mesut Ozil became Arsenal’s most expensive recruit when arriving from Real Madrid – a record that has since been eclipsed. The German has been a key cog in Arsene Wenger’s footballing philosophy at Arsenal in the recent years. Easy on the ball, the player has wowed the Premier League with his range of passing and vision.
45 – Since his debut in Sept 2013, Mesut Ozil has provided more assists in the Premier League than any other player (45). Delivery. pic.twitter.com/BL1msF4QMt
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 18, 2017
24 goals and 48 assists in 126 Premier League appearances, the player has truly provided a spectacle when on song. However, with Arsenal unable to secure Champions League qualification for the present season, along with differences over the terms of the contract on offer, Ozil is yet to sign the dotted line.
Wenger himself iterated the possibility of losing Mesut Ozil, stating that the German’s love for Arsenal might not be enough to retain the playmaker at Emirates. There are a lot of clubs trailing Ozil, with Manchester United, Fenerbahce and even former club Schalke plotting a move for the player.
However, Barcelona’s interest might be the most genuine one, with the Catalans looking to add a playmaker to their squad. Barcelona’s priority has always been Philippe Coutinho. But, Liverpool’s insistence on the mammoth fee combined with the total cost of the contract to be offered to the Brazilian might just be too unrealistic to match.
Instead, Ozil could provide a much cheaper and an overall better option to reinforce their squad. Ozil has previous experience of playing in La Liga and his playing style seems to be a perfect fit for Barcelona’s system.
Mesut Ozil has sprinted 82 times this season, more than any other player in the PL
“Lazy” pic.twitter.com/PC52geQV1n
— Arsenal Statistics (@ArsenalStatist) November 16, 2017
Ozil has often been described as a luxury footballer, with the player often labelled as a liability on the defensive side. Even if we take the same to be true; at the Nou Camp, he could focus solely on the attacking aspect and the world has seen what Ozil can produce when being afforded the freedom to do his thing.
But, Jose Mourinho may have something say in the matter. There is mutual respect between the Manchester United manager and Ozil from their days together at the Bernabeu. And with Mourinho looking to add a pure number 10 to the squad, we could see Ozil be the next controversial transfer from Arsenal to United.
