Manchester United 'set to bid for Mesut Ozil'
English Premier League (EPL) club Manchester United are reportedly preparing a bid for Werder Bremen midfielder Mesut Ozil. The news comes after Sir Alex Ferguson was a spectator when EPL side Fulham beat the German Bundesliga club in a preseason friendly match at Craven Cottage, with the Red Devils manager said to be casting an eye over the 21-year-old.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup star has been attracting the attention of many of Europe’s top clubs, including Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Barcelona, and with just a year to run on his contract, Werder Bremen are keen to cash in on the Germany international while they can.
Unimpressed with giants
Barcelona and Madrid are reported to have held discussions with Ozil’s club, but the player is said to have been unimpressed with what either of the La Liga giants had to say. According to The Guardian, Chelsea are also ready to step in with a bid, and with their superior financial clout, Ferguson is concerned that his EPL title rivals may beat his club to Ozil’s signature.
With that in mind, Ferguson has reportedly been making his case to the board at Old Trafford and trying to convince them that they should shell out for a player that would be available for free in a year’s time. Ozil should be available for around £13.5m, far less than he would cost if had had been contracted to Werder Bremen for a longer period of time. Ferguson is said to see that fee as a bargain for a player who shone on the biggest stage of all as he helped Germany to third place in South Africa.
However, the situation has become a little more complicated as Werder Bremen deliberate over whether to hang on to Ozil until after their UEFA Champions League qualifying tie against Sampdoria of Italy. Progression to the group stage of the competition would bring a huge financial boost for the club, but he would be unable to play for any other side taking part in the tournament this season, making him a less attractive asset for those clubs taking part.
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