Chelsea have entered the race to sign Mesut Ozil from Arsenal, according to reports in Germany. According to SportBild (h/t Sport Witness), the 29-year-old has emerged as a top target for Antonio Conte.
Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing the Germany international, who has already worked under Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Ozil spent three seasons with Mourinho at Real Madrid and the pair struck up a close relationship.
After missing out on a deal for Philippe Coutinho in the summer, Barcelona too, are understood to be exploring potential alternatives, with Ozil emerging as one of them. Last week, reports claimed that the playmaker had agreed to join the Catalan giants.
However, Chelsea’s sudden entry to sign the Arsenal star certainly must have left Manchester United and Barcelona shell-shocked. Ozil, who earns £140,000-a-week is yet to sign a new contract with Arsenal and will be available as a free agent at the end of the season if he does not extend his contract.
Arsenal would dislike seeing a key player strengthen a rival for free and it seems like that possibility has now increased, as we have also joined the race.
It’s not entirely clear if the Blues are planning to move for Ozil in January or are waiting to sign him for free in the summer. Conte has made it clear to the Chelsea board he wants the club to invest heavily in January, after failing to land prime targets in summer. Ozil could be a tremendous value signing, due to his current contract situation.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, spoke about Ozil’s future this week by claiming that the midfielder will not be sold in January.
The Arsenal manager had suggested that the club could be open to offers this winter, but on Tuesday, ahead of the league clash against Huddersfield Town, he insisted that Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will be staying until the end of the season.
“They will be here,” Wenger was quoted by BBC.
“I do not think every day about that, as long as they are here they have to give their best for the team and the club. In my head they stay until the end of the season – that was a decision taken at the start of the season,” he added.
At Chelsea, Ozil could be a likely replacement for Willian, who is reportedly looking to leave the Blues. The German would be a great addition to our ranks and let’s hope that our interest in the player is strong and meaningful.
