Schalke 04 have shockingly joined the race for Arsenal’s want-away midfielder Mesut Ozil, according to reports. The German International is currently unsettled at his current club and is expected to run down the contract, which expires at the end of this season.
Second in the Bundesliga table, the club from Gelsenkirchen are hitting it big time this season under new coach Domenico Tedesco. While they risk losing their star midfielder Leon Goretzka along with several other star players in the team, including Max Meyer, the addition of Mesut Ozil could reinvigorate the German giants.
Manchester United are currently in pole position to sign Mesut Ozil in January. However, considering the fact that Schalke has once been a home to Mesut Ozil, the 27-year-old playmaker could be tempted to a return to Gelsenkirchen.
Even though, the Bundesliga giants boast a fairly solid midfield lineup with the likes of Leon Goretzka, Nabil Bentaleb and Max Meyer in the team, Tedesco, do, however, requires someone who can revitalize the offensive department.
New signing Amine Harit has flourished under the leadership of the young Schalke head coach. The former Nantes youngster is responsible for most of Schalke’s offensive work this season. However, at such a young age, the French midfielder cannot be burdened with such a huge task. And that’s where Mesut Ozil comes into play.
Ozil was born in Gelsenkirchen and began his career at the club, and the chairman, Clemens Tönnies, has said the playmaker’s return “would be a nice story”. The German International has significant exposure to playing in the Bundesliga, having played for Schalke and Werder Bremen in the past.
Domenico Tedesco has embraced the resources at his disposal since the start of the season and used them wisely rather than making some headline transfers in the market. And it’s only natural to think that the 32-year-old will be delighted to have someone like Mesut Ozil at his disposal.
Furthermore, the player himself will want to settle for regular playing time, with the World Cup just around the corner. Schalke 04 can provide Ozil with proper game time, which won’t probably the case at Manchester United, which all adds up as to why Schalke seems like the most logical destination for the Arsenal playmaker at the moment.
The German international will return to his homeland this week when Arsenal take on Cologne in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
