According to reports in The Mirror, Manchester United look set to miss out on the signing of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, who will be offered a £350,000-a-week deal to join Barcelona.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that the La Liga giants are keen to sign the Germany international, whose contract with the Gunners runs out at the end of the season with no new deal close to being finalised.
The Mirror says that the 29-year-old will be able to command a huge pay-day next summer, with United boss Jose Mourinho said to be keen on a reunion with the playmaker having worked with him at Real Madrid previously.
The fact that Barcelona and not the Red Devils can sign a pre-contract agreement with the player in the New Year could prove to be a problem though, with Mourinho potentially having to look elsewhere for a new No. 10.
Why does Mourinho want Ozil?
While the Portuguese boss has some decent attacking options in the form of Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku, Anthony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he perhaps doesn’t have the elite No. 10 that he would want.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan started the season as the first-choice in that position but despite providing five assists in the first three Premier League games this term, he hasn’t registered one since and was dropped from the squad for the games against Newcastle United and FC Basel in the previous week.
Ozil has provided 48 assists in 126 top flight outings for Arsenal since joining them from Real Madrid in 2013, and he would be a creative force at Old Trafford.
Could United still get him?
Well, Arsenal are unlikely to sell the Germany international to a direct Premier League rival in the New Year, and if Ozil wants his future sorted out then rather than at the end of the season then Mourinho looks unlikely to get his man.
[ad_pod ]
