Arsenal Transfer News: Mesut Ozil Wanted by Juventus, Granit Xhaka Rumours

Serie A champions Juventus are reportedly preparing an audacious swoop for Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, per Italian outlet Calciomercato (via Mark Brus of Metro).  

The German World Cup winner is finally starting to show the kind of exemplary form he promised upon his £42.4 million arrival at the Emirates, and that much has sparked plenty of interest from Turin.

Juventus are currently seeking a creative No. 10 to underline their Champions League-winning credentials, and Ozil certainly fits the bill.

Kerstin Joensson/Associated Press

The 27-year-old has long been branded the king of the assist, with 10 to his name from just 11 Premier League matches this term proving exactly that, per WhoScored.com.

Teammate Hector Bellerin also believes Ozil is the best No. 10 in the world, as he told Sky Sports (via James Berge of the London Evening Standard): “He is one of the most intelligent players I've played with and has an eye for the pass that no-one else sees. I don't think there's a better No. 10 than him at the moment. When he first came to Arsenal we were all very excited and now he's showing us what he's all about.”

Here’s a look at Ozil doing what Ozil does best:

Despite Juventus’ interest, it would be incredibly surprising to see manager Arsene Wenger part with one of his star men at the peak of his powers.

In fact, according to Steve Stammers of the Daily Mirror, the Gunners are actually ready to offer Ozil a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2019.

The midfielder still has two and a half years to run on his current deal, but so impressive has his start to the season been that Wenger has reportedly decided to act.

If Ozil chooses to commit his future to Arsenal, then Juventus can move on to new targets; Brus reported Tottenham Hotspur’s Christian Eriksen and Chelsea midfielder Oscar are on their shortlist.

Elsewhere, Liverpool have joined the race for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka, per German outlet Bild (via James Walters of the Daily Star).

Both Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Wenger are set to enquire as to Xhaka’s availability in January before launching bids for the midfielder, who is valued at around £20 million.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

The Swiss international’s contract with Monchengladbach expires in 2019, although he admitted to Bild “things can happen quickly in football” and the team he moves on to will be a “top, top club” (via Walters).

Wenger, then, will be hoping that Arsenal are the top club Xhaka chooses to switch to, yet Liverpool’s new interest means that he needs to act fast.

The Gunners are dangerously close to returning to the top of the domestic and European trees, and how they go about their business in the transfer window could be the difference between immortality and mediocrity.