Arsenal have stitched a decent run of results in the Premier League recently but the Gunners have a very nervous January transfer window coming up ahead. Three of their most exciting stars, Jack Wilshere, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have all rejected contract extensions with the club and will be free to sign a pre-contract for the next summer.
Arsenal may also be forced to sell, to avoid losing them on a free transfer, turning this January into an eventful one for the North London outfit.
Sanchez and Wilshere will be huge losses for the club but German playmaker Mesut Ozil, who has been Arsenal’s best player this season, is one star who is attracting a lot of interest from around Europe. Manchester United and Jose Mourinho are extensively linked with a move for the 28-year old but reports also claim that Spanish giants Barcelona are desperate for his services.
Ozil made a name for himself in his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, playing for Barcelona’s arch-rivals Real Madrid, before moving to London. So it is not clear if the player is ready to wear the Catalan colours at the Camp Nou. However, Barcelona have reportedly made him a priority transfer target in January.
An exclusive from the Daily Star now claims that Barcelona are ready to offer Turkish superstar Arda Turan as a part of the deal to land the German international. It is understood that Arsenal want £30m for Ozil in January and that Barcelona are prepared to offer Turan and most of Ozil’s valuation to land him after the turn of the year.
Having joined Barcelona back in 2015, Turan has not been able to cement his place in the starting XI, making 36 appearances in over two years of league football. He is yet to make an appearance this season and at 30, is now looking for regular game time elsewhere.
He has 18 goals and 26 assists in 163 La Liga appearances and has also made 100 appearances for the Turkish national team till date, standing as their captain. A robust player who will fit in well in the physically challenging English league, Turan is versatile and can play in a number of positions, adding versatility and options in the midfield for Wenger.
He is by no means a replacement for Ozil but has been a long-term target for the Gunners in the past and if they have resigned to losing Ozil, they should definitely accept this offer.
In his time at Arsenal, Ozil has 25 goals and 50 assists in the domestic league in England, and will not be easy to replace. So Wenger needs players like Turan to allow his replacement to settle down at the Emirates.
His experience is invaluable but is this deal productive for the Gunners?
