Is Mesut Özil on his way to the Camp Nou?
According to sources in Spain, Barcelona will launch an audacious bid for Arsenal midfielder Mesut Özil. The catalans look set to bid £30m for the ex Real Madrid star who was dramatically sold last season to the North London club.
His £42.5m club record fee has proved costly for the Gunners as Özil has struggled to find the form he had at Real Madrid. He started the season well at Arsenal but a dip in form has made the Catalan giants feel they could tempt him away from the emirates stadium.
Özil is a fantastic player and has not performed to the high standards he set at Real Madrid due to one main reason: Arsene Wenger.
The midfielder excelled under Jose Mourinho at Real because the now chelsea manager understood what made the German international tick.
This season, Özil has played more games for Arsenal than he would have done in the same period at Real Madrid. For the ‘Merengues’, he made 105 appearances and scored 19 goals between 2010 and 2013. This season for Arsenal he’s made 23 appearances and found the net four times.
Mourinho knew the player’s limitations and hardly ever played him the full 90 minutes. Özil is not a 90 minute man and Mourinho got the best out of him understanding this single factor.
Wenger has chosen to follow another route and play him from the get go and for the full 90 minutes.
However, teammate and fellow German international Per Mertesacker says Mesut Özil must take criticism on the chin and achieve greater consistency to be able to succeed at the gunners next season.
Speaking to Arsenal’s official website Mertesacker said:
“I think he came from La Liga and it’s quite different to play there. He has adapted well but there is more to come from him, and I think the second season will be much better from him, because he’s a fantastic player.”
“He has shown some great skills but he needs to be more consistent, and that’s what makes the difference at the end.”
If Arsenal do decide to cut their losses, Barcelona would be a very good club where his talent would surely shine. Having said that, how many midfielders do Barça really need?
Question: Would Mesut Özil be a good addition to the Barcelona squad for next season?
Al least if a person undestand and watch the games he played you cannot blame him he struggled.Football is a team game.He cannot do everything by himself as arsenal doesnt have strikers.Since the injury of Ramsey he couldnt show himself because ramsey was the best scorer.Without striker how can he assist.?magine to put suarez and muller in front of him with the same midfield in arsenal than you sit back and watch what mesut özil is doing ….