The end of the current campaign could surely see Arsenal lose two of their most prized assets in the form of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil on free transfers. To add insult to injury, the two superstars might not even leave the country and instead join up with Arsenal’s domestic rivals.
It was widely known that Manchester City was in pole position to snap up the Chilean winger and now the latest rumour doing the rounds is that Manchester United’s boss Jose Mourinho is keen to go in for the Chilean with Sanchez ready to move to Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho had also been linked with a possible reunion with German playmaker Mesut Ozil next year. However, latest reports are now confirming that Ozil might make a move as early as this month to Italy with Serie A champions Juventus interested in the German.
Ozil’s current deal expires at the end of this season and any talk for his contract extension has become stagnant. This sets up an ideal opportunity for the Italian side to lure away Ozil to Juventus.
Juventus would mark the third big club signing for Ozil. He was the chief ball player behind the ‘shadow’ team of Madrid in the 2011-12 season who won matches by producing lightning-fast counter-attacks.
He parted ways with Mourinho since but has remained on good terms and as long as Ozil does not sign an extension with the Gunners, Mourinho will definitely be keeping an eye out on the situation at the Emirates, something that will keep Juventus on their toes.
Ozil moved to Arsenal in the summer of 2013 for a reported fee of £42.5m. In his four years at the club, Ozil has 32 goals and 57 assists in 166 appearances and has gone to lift the FA Cup twice.
Although he has been accused by fans and media of going missing in big matches, he still remains one of Arsenal’s primary playmakers and it remains to be seen how Arsenal cope without him. Moreover, with Sanchez surely moving out, Wenger would hate to see his other star player leave as well, as it will leave the Frenchman with a lot of rebuilding to do.
As for Juventus, they are by far the strongest side in Italy if stats from the last few years are to be believed. They have a strong defence, pacey wingers and excellent forwards in Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala. Adding Ozil would add the final dimension of player to the side who are now desperate to become kings of Europe after making it to two finals in three years.
