Mesut Ozil: Werder Look to Sell Dazzling German Contract Rebel

One of the stars of this summer’s World Cup finals was the young German playmaker Mesut Ozil who played a key role in his nation’s march to 3rd place. The 21-year-old Werder Bremen youngster played a large part in Germany’s success in the tournament including scoring in the 1-0 win over Ghana in the group stage. Reports in the German and English press suggest Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all interested in signing the player and that is hardly surprising.

Ozil has declared he is happy in the Bundesliga but with a year left on his contract, a move seems likely after Werder’s general director told Bild, “We’re keen to hold on to Mesut for a couple more seasons and we want him to sign a new deal with us.”

“However, if that turns out to be impossible, we might have to look at other solutions.”

A host of Premier League clubs have been scouting the player prior to the World Cup including the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City. Ozil’s contract ends in 2011 which is why the club are so keen to extend his deal but the international star has been in no rush to put pen to paper.

Ozil told German newspaper Bild before the World Cup, “I just need time to think”

“This is about the next three of four years. It’s about my future.

“Aaron Hunt (Werder team-mate) has only just extended his contract six months before it was due to expire so why shouldn’t I do that?”

However, Werder will not allow their star name to see out his contract as they will miss out on a potential windfall after Ozil’s inspirational displays in South Africa. Manchester City have already signed the likes of David Silva, Yaya Toure and Ozil’s compatriot Jerome Boateng but Roberto Mancini will have the funds if needed to bring the star to Eastlands. Arsenal will not be able to compete with City financially but Werder will not want to run the risk of losing their star man for nothing, so Arsene Wenger may be able to do a deal. It is a great bargaining tool and with Wenger’s Gunners record for encouraging young talent a move to the Emirates may not be that unlikely. Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is looking to add youth to his team and Ozil is definitely the kind of talent that Roman Abramovich prefers. Manchester United are lacking funds but the need for a young playmaker is obvious with Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes not getting any younger. Like Arsenal, the fact that Ozil has one year left on his contract gives them the opportunity to sign the German on the cheap.

Ozil enjoyed a superb 2008/09 season for his club side as Werder won the German Cup and finished runners-up in the Uefa Cup. The midfielder made a total of 28 league appearances (20 starts) while scoring 3 goals. He also started both cup finals including scoring the winner against Bayer Leverkusen in the domestic cup final 1-0 win. Last season he improved further with 9 goals in 31 league appearances (29 starts). However, Werder finished 3rd in the table, 9 points behind champions Bayern Munich fuelling speculation Ozil will leave. Contract talks have broken down as Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal plus a host of other clubs cast their eyes on Werder’s star player. Arsene Wenger wants to inject a new creative star into his team next season with Cesc Fabregas possibly on his way to Barcelona and what better show of ambition than signing Ozil. The fact that the German can operate in a number of positions is an added bonus for the Gunners. Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini continues to look to improve his squad and will be hoping the club’s finances will be enough to tempt the talented German despite a lack of Champions League football at Eastlands.

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The 21-year-old was born in Gelsenkirchen but is of Turkish descent. He began his career with Schalke with whom he made 30 league appearances (13 starts) without scoring. In his first season, his club finished runners-up in the Bundesliga. However, during the 2008 January transfer window he made a £4.3m move to Werder tying him to his current club until June 2011. In doing so he became the most expensive teenage transfer in Germany. Clubs such as Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Arsenal were thought to be interested but not willing to pay that price for such a young talent. However, those clubs may be ruing that decision now.

The 5 ft 11 star may have starred at the U21 Championships last summer but he is now one of the stars of the senior side with 17 caps for his country. Wenger, Ancelotti, Ferguson and Mancini would have ideally signed the player before the World Cup as his displays have attracted every major club in Europe.

Ozil is nicknamed the ‘New Diego’ which is praise indeed as he has replaced the Brazilian who left for Juventus as the star of the Werder team. He is exceptionally skilful with an eye for a pass as illustrated by Ozil creating more goals than any other player at the U21 tournament in Sweden. He is a good dribbler and set-piece specialist and at 21-years-old is already the main creative force behind the German national team. Arsene Wenger’s young side suffered towards the end of the season with injuries but the fact Ozil can play numerous positions means he would be ideal for Arsenal as well as Manchester United.

The midfielder can play wide on the flanks, in central midfield and even as a 2nd striker. He will not come cheap despite a year left on his contract. But with the player showing no sign of signing a new contract, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City can afford to play hardball. Ozil would surely be an excellent investment for all of these clubs who are looking to challenge for the title next season. A player with Ozil’s vision and passing ability would fit easily into the set-ups at the Emirates, Eastlands, Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford.

A bid of £15m may be difficult for Werder Bremen to turn down in the current financial climate especially as the player is likely to continue to reject the offer of a new contract. However, after selling Diego to Juventus for £22.3m, Werder may be loathed to lose another fans favourite even with Ozil’s current contract ending in 2011. Arsenal, United, Chelsea and Man City scouts were in attendance throughout Germany’s matches at the World Cup and bids are imminent.

Do you like the look of Mesut Ozil? Would he be a good signing for your club despite his age? Let’s hear your views.

Tags: Arsenal, Chelsea, Germany, Manchester City, Manchester United, Mesut Ozil, Werder Bremen

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 15th, 2010 at 16:25 and is filed under Features, Home Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.