Arsenal are on the verge of completing a swap deal that will send Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United for Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The club are now hopeful it can entice Mesut Ozil to stay at the Emirates, and Arsenal could break the bank to re-sign the German international.
Ozil is in the last season of his current deal, and reports indicated he was likely to join Manchester United at the end of the season on a free transfer. However, with Sanchez now going to Old Trafford, it looks more likely that Ozil could stay at Arsenal or move away from the Premier League.
The German international is currently on £130,000-a-week, but the Evening Standard reports Arsenal will break the bank to re-sign him. The reported offer is for around £300,000-a-week to keep Ozil at the Emirates.
However, it isn’t just the money that the club hopes will keep Ozil a Gunner. Arsenal have sent a delegation to Dortmund to work out a possible £55 million deal for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The striker has had personal problems with Dortmund of late, and was suspended by the club for their weekend match against Hertha Berlin.
The club has added Mkhitaryan as Sanchez’s replacement, and Arsenal are in a far better position than many previously believed they would be.
Part of Arsenal’s reasons for cashing in on Sanchez was due to his behaviour. The Chilean had become a disruptive influence at the club as he attempted to get a move away from North London. There have been no indications that Ozil has acted the same way, which is why the club hasn’t attempted to off-load him this month.
Ozil has had several clubs from outside England show interest. Barcelona had been linked with signing him as well as Inter Milan and Juventus.
Fantasy impact – Mesut Ozil
Fifth in scoring on the Arsenal squad, Mesut Ozil hasn’t had a great Fantasy Premier League season. Just 87 points ties him with goalkeeper Petr Cech. Three double-digit games this season have been overshadowed by gameweeks with few points being tallied. Right now, Ozil is an expensive midfielder who tallies too many two-point gameweeks.
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