Mesut Ozil to Barcelona Reportedly 'Closed' by Arsenal's Next Transfer Chief

Arsenal maestro Mesut Ozil will reportedly complete a move to Barcelona this winter after Raul Sanllehi, a Blaugrana transfer chief who could join the Gunners, "closed" the deal. 

There are still points of the deal to work out, according to Tomas Andreu and Lluis Miguelsanz of Catalan newspaper Sport. They reported that some members of the Barca board are still to be convinced, although the deal has advanced (h/t Daily Star's Owen Fulda).

Fulda wrote that Sanllehi has agreed a move to the Emirates Stadium as part of an overhaul of their boardroom, with former Borussia Dortmund figure Sven Mislintat unveiled as their new head of recruitment on Monday.

Barcelona sporting director Pep Segura will have the final say on whether Barcelona push ahead to complete a move for Ozil. The latest news arrived after Spanish media reported on Sanllehi's switch in October, per Sport Witness:

The winter transfer window will be Arsenal's last opportunity to receive a fee for Ozil, presuming he doesn't sign a new contract in north London, as the former Real Madrid player is out of contract in the summer.

Barca were linked with Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, but Fulda wrote that with the Reds demanding a £133 million fee for their talisman, the Catalans' transfer attention has moved to alternative targets.

The prospect of signing Ozil looks far more valuable in comparison. Fulda cited Catalan daily Mundo Deportivo, which said Arsene Wenger has approved a sale, and the German could move for as little as £17 million. 

Despite constant speculation over an Ozil exit, however, Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal recently insisted there has been no talk of a departure in the dressing room, per Goal:

Fulda's report also included quotes from Blauagrana president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who spoke at the Catalan Football Gala on Monday and said: "We are happy with the squad that we have but if things can be done to improve then they will be done, because we always aspire to more."

Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will both enter the final six months of their respective contracts in January and have drawn criticism in recent months, which ESPN FC pundit Steve Nicol recently said he felt has been undue:

Andreu and Miguelsanz reported Sanllehi has already met in London with Ozil's agent, Erkut Sogut, and that "everything was practically closed," with Segura's green light thought to be the last hurdle in completing a January transfer.

Former Los Blancos star Ozil may be considered a contentious signing by some of those in power at rivals Barca, but if a creative midfielder is what the club desire, they may not find many better winter options.