Why Mesut Ozil Is the Arsenal Player Manchester City Would Love to Sign

As Manchester City’s season meanders to an unsatisfactory conclusion, so does Arsenal’s.

Supporters of the north London side are torn. Should Arsene Wenger, the longest-serving manager in Europe, stay on the basis of his past achievements, or is it time for a fresh approach?

City, of course, have a new era to look forward to, with Pep Guardiola set to officially take the reins on July 1.

The two sides meet on Sunday, with both of them desperate to secure a top-four place and ensure UEFA Champions League football for next season. Arsenal have the added incentive of trying to leapfrog rivals Tottenham Hotspur, or face the ignominy of finishing below them for the first time since Blackburn Rovers won the Premier League.

Arsenal’s season may have been an underwhelming one, but they are squad full of quality, particularly in attack, where they have plenty of exciting options. Theo Walcott may have slipped out of favour recently and is facing an uncertain future, but his pace and skill make him a difficult opponent.

Danny Welbeck is a useful forward capable of producing excellent hold-up play, and Olivier Giroud is perhaps better than his statistics in the second half of this season suggest. He scored 15 in 26 games before the turn of the year but has hit just five in 23 since.

Their two standout stars, and the ones City would most likely be interested in, are Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, two very different but incredibly productive players who would add plenty of quality to the Sky Blues’ squad.

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Ozil is Arsenal’s creator-in-chief, the man charged with making opportunities for others. One look at his assists record shows you there are few, if any, better in the Premier League.

He has racked up 18 assists in 34 league games this season, which is five more than his nearest challenger, Cristian Eriksen of Tottenham.

He’s also chipped in with a respectable six goals, and, according to WhoScored.com, he has registered a pass-success rate of over 86 percent.

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Sanchez offers a different threat. His game is all about pace and directness. He frightens defenders by running at them at speed and looking to go past them, creating space for his team-mates. He's incredibly powerful and capable of producing explosive shots from distance. 

His season has been mixed, affected, it seems, by some of the turbulence at the Emirates. He hasn't found his usual consistency and rhythm, and, as such, he's been far less effective. 

Last season, he scored 25 goals in all competitions, whereas this season he's managed just 16. His overall performance level hasn't been as high, and Arsenal have missed him being at his best. 

Both players possess real quality, but it's Ozil who is the far more productive player right now. With City in need of some creativity, highlighted by their insipid display in Madrid this week, Ozil would add some much-needed flair and help them score more goals. 

He's a fine player and the star of the Arsenal side.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard.