Arsenal Transfer News: Mesut Ozil Exit Discussed by Agent, Fresh Gunners Rumours

The agent of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has revealed there is “serious” interest from Fenerbahce for the 26-year-old and has not ruled out the possibility of a move at the end of the season.

Speaking with Takvim (h/t James Benge of the London Evening Standard) Dr Erkut Sogut, Ozil’s representative, confirmed the interest of the Turkish giants: “It’s too early to talk right now. But you cannot know the conditions. Fenerbahce seem serious about Mesut. It is difficult to predict in advance how Arsenal would respond. At the end of the season, we'll see.”

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It may seem a fanciful proposition at first glance. After all, Ozil is a player in the prime of his career that’s regularly contributing to this Arsenal side. Despite some external criticisms, the majority of the club’s supporters would advise the German is one the Gunners’ most important players too.

As we can see here courtesy of OptaJoe, Ozil has been the most creative player in the Premier League so far this year:

But there seems to be something tangible to the claims from Ozil’s agent. In addition, the World Cup winner himself has previously revealed his affinity with Fenerbahce. “In the future I want to wear a Fenerbahce shirt it would be an honour,” the ex-Real Madrid man told Sabah (h/t Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star). “Everyone knows I am a Fenerbahce fan.”

The Turkish Super Lig side have made some impressive acquisitions as of late too, with high-profile names such as Robin van Persie and Nani joining the club last summer. Landing Ozil would represent a completely different proposition entirely, though.

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Ozil is still a world-class talent and despite being much maligned, is only likely to get even better. As noted by Michiel Jongsma of OptaJohan, with more clinical team-mates, the German’s statistics would look even better:

Indeed, Ozil is a player that has to be carried sometimes, with his defensive aptitude, physicality and work rate all lacking when compared to the average midfield player. But his instincts, ingenuity on the ball and selflessness in advanced positions make him a perfect conductor for the Arsenal attack.

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If the Gunners did have a dynamic forward to play alongside Ozil then he’d instantly look a better player. But someone stationary like Olivier Giroud isn’t really tailored to get the best out of his mercurial skill set. 

As noted by John Bennett of BBC, Ozil has linked up well with the much quicker Theo Walcott when he’s leading the line:

Ultimately, not only would Fenerbahce struggle to stump up the money for the player, Arsenal would be crazy to sell Ozil at this juncture. Manager Arsene Wenger will be acutely aware of just how important a player the German is in this team and while his squad is flush with attacking midfielders, none quite compare to the club’s record signing.

Ozil needs to continue showcasing these consistently high levels of creativity moving forward, but there is also a duty for his manager to facilitate a system to get the best out of such a player. Surround Ozil with energy and pace, and the Gunners could suddenly see the midfielder take his game on to even greater heights.