Manchester United Transfer Rumours: Mesut Ozil Storms into the Picture

Manchester United were put on red alert by Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil on Monday after he stormed down the tunnel during the Spanish giants’ 1-0 win over Granada.

Per 101 Great Goals, Ozil has been linked with a €45 million move to United, who continue to seek a creative spark for their midfield before the end of the transfer window.

And he might just have cut ties with his current employers on Monday, following a display of discontent sparked by his second-half substitution for Brazilian youngster Casemiro. Elliott Bretland of the Daily Mail has more:

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Italian Madrid boss Ancelotti has much to mull over before Athletic Bilbao visit the Bernabeu on Sunday, with Ozil and (Iker) Casillas both far from happy at their current plights.

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Madrid are said to be offering three players around Europe in order to raise funds for the signing of Gareth Bale, one of whom is Ozil. The other two names are Karim Benzema—who scored Madrid’s winner at Granada—and Angel Di Maria, according to John Cross of the Daily Mirror.

Arsenal are credited with a strong interest in all three players per Cross, but Ozil has long been admired at Old Trafford and is said to be a top target of David Moyes, who has already missed out on Thiago Alcantara and Cesc Fabregas.

Moyes will also look to complement Ozil’s creativity with the power of Marouane Fellaini, whom United will target with a separate bid over the next 24 hours, according to Alan Nixon of the Daily Mirror.

United failed earlier this summer with a £28 million approach for both Fellaini and Leighton Baines, but will now return with a separate bid for the Belgian, worth up to £25 million. Nixon has more:

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Moyes' joint offers for the pair have fallen short so far, but the stand-alone bid for Fellaini—around £20 million, plus extras—looks like suiting all parties.

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Nixon reports that the offer, if accepted by Everton, will spark a three-way transfer merry-go-round. The Toffees will look to sign Wigan’s James McCarthy as Fellaini’s replacement, prompting Wigan to seek out United for young talent Nick Powell.

United certainly lacked the prompting, probing figure of an Ozil-type player in Monday's 0-0 draw against Chelsea, often forcing Wayne Rooney to drop deep in order to make things happen against a stubborn Chelsea defence.

The champions worked the ball well down the flanks, putting Ashley Cole under plenty of pressure through the overlapping ability of Phil Jones, but there was a need for cunning and ingenuity in the central areas, arguably making Ozil a more necessary option than Fellaini.