As Jose Mourinho draws up his plans for stopping Arsenal on Saturday, much of his time will be dedicated to finding a way to keep Mesut Ozil quiet. No player in the Premier Leaguehas created chances as regularly as the German this season, and only one has set up more big chances, while he was sensational against Huddersfield on Wednesday. It is not difficult to see why Mourinho is so keen on a reunion.
Ozil is out of contract in the summer and has so far shown little desire to sign an extension at the Emirates, with Manchester United leading the queue of suitors offering him an escape route. But Chelsea have reportedly now joined them, while he has also been muted as a cheaper alternative to Philippe Coutinho at Barcelona. With so many massive clubs in the running for his signature, Ozil has a difficult decision to make…
MANCHESTER UNITED
In almost every respect, Ozil feels like a perfect fit for United. This is a club synonymous with silky creators but who are currently missing an Ozil-shaped spark in their attack, while Mourinho is the manager who has managed to extract the most consistency out of his game to date. Henrikh Mkhitaryan has shown his class only in fits and starts, whereas the German is the finished, proven article.
Not that you’d necessarily know that given the amount of criticism he still receives. His detractors say he does not work hard enough, does not score enough goals and is passive to the point of invisibility when it matters most. Yet he has consistently been one of the most creative and influential players in the Premier League, and Arsenal are an infinitely better team when he is on song. But there is a very real sense that he is not his decisive best often enough.
This is where Mourinho holds the edge over Arsene Wenger. At Arsenal Ozil has been allowed to coast – a certain level of mediocrity is accepted, the top four celebrated with selfies – but only first place and silverware satisfies Mourinho. At Real he managed to motivate Ozil through an almost physiological warfare, firing him up and challenging him to improve. It could be hard to resist rekindling that connection.
CHELSEA
The prospect of Ozil moving to Stamford Bridge emerged in SportBild this week, and from Ozil’s point of view it would make a lot of sense. He is known to enjoy life both in the Premier League and specifically London, while reigning champions Chelsea offer a greater shot at winning what would be just the second league title of his career. Quite how well Ozil would fit into Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 formation is a different matter, though the prospect of a Hazard-Morata-Ozil front three is worth taking the risk to find out.
Moreover, Conte is not so wedded to any one system that he could not tweak his formation to accommodate the German. He has done exactly that this season with Cesc Fabregas – one of few players to keep pace with Ozil’s creative numbers – switching to a 3-5-2, while Andrea Pirlo flourished under his management despite possessing little of the all-action skills he now requires from his central midfielders.
Chelsea would tick a lot of boxes for Ozil: the chance to challenge for major silverware without relocating, a manager that could coax out his best form, and teammates that feel ready-made to play off him. But it is missing the Mourinho factor, which, coupled with the uncertainty that surrounds Conte’s position at Chelsea, just takes the edge off the Blues’ appeal.
BARCELONA
If swapping Arsenal for Chelsea would cause a stir in London, imagine the impact Ozil – a former Madrid player – would have if he elected to join Clasico rivals Barcelona. He’s been linked with the Catalan club as a cheaper alternative to Philippe Coutinho, whom Liverpool are demanding in excess of £100m for. Ozil would cost nothing, and can sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs in January.
The lure of Barca is clear. With Andres Iniesta in the twilight of his career, Ozil would have the chance to step into the boots of a bona fide legend, while the pace and style of La Liga has always felt like a better fit for his qualities and personality. Ozil has adapted to the Premier League well, but ultimately fans will generally applaud tireless pressing or a crunching challenge more than even the most perfectly weighted through-ball.
Barca’s possession style suits perfectly with the way Ozil plays, and the opportunity to play alongside Lionel Messi could be too good to turn down. He could also become just the third player, after Henrik Larsson and Gerard Pique, to play alongside both the Argentine and Cristiano Ronaldo at club level. Then again, with Coutinho Barca’s real No.1 target, would he really want to be the booby prize?
STAY AT ARSENAL
Of course, Ozil does not have to leave Arsenal. The Gunners have tabled a lucrative offer that would double his wages and make him the highest paid player at the club; he has a manager who nurtures and supports, and few will be as accommodating of his occasional bouts of anonymity; and he is happy and settled at a club with a burgeoning German core.
Perhaps Arsenal have not offered the kind of platform needed to fight for Premier League and Champions League glory in recent years, but that feels like it is starting to change. They broke their transfer record for Alexandre Lacazette, they have added to their backroom team by poaching Raul Sanllehi and Sven Mislintat from Barcelona and Dortmund respectively. Perhaps the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere…
Manchester United, Chelsea or Barcelona – who should Mesut Ozil join?
![Manchester United, Chelsea or Barcelona – who should Mesut Ozil join?]()
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November 30, 2017
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