Barcelona view Özil as a more accessible alternative to Coutinho, £17m is the figure mentioned. From Mundo Deportivo:
The FC Barcelona continues to work face to be reinforced in the winter. Philippe Coutinho is the priority for youth (25 years), quality and versatility, but his case is complicated. The information that comes out of the club azulgrana is that Liverpool does not want to sell and if agreed to do so would be a very expensive operation. There will be a last attempt to force a negotiation by the Brazilian.
In any case, the desire of Barça is to incorporate in January an offensive medium that gives relief to Andres Iniesta to aspire to win everything this season. If it can not be Coutinho , another will come. There is a free chip in the template. And one of the best situated alternatives is that of Mesut Özil (29 years old, Arsenal ). The conclusion of the Barça club's technicians is that there are not so many Barça players that can play the Champions League and that they can go out in the winter at an affordable price. Özil meets these four requirements.
The name of the German of the Arsenal has already been on the table in meetings of technical planning of the Barça for his quality and his contractual situation. And it is that Özil ends contract on June 30, does not want to renew with Arsenal and, therefore, his club can not ask for a high price for him knowing that in summer 2018 ends contract. At least, if you want to get some revenue and not see him leave for free.
In this sense, and as MD has learned, the club has already made moves to know what would be the price of the German international, which various media in England assessed at ten or fifteen million euros. The information that the Barça club manages today is that Özil would cost something more, about 20 million euros.
An amount that is making Barca meditate very seriously on his signing. The reality is that the Plan A of Robert Fernandez is Coutinho , but the Barca leaders do not want to limit themselves to that player. If not, they run the risk of running out of nothing as happened in the summer with Coutinho himself and Di Maria . His hiring was attempted until the last day but neither his arrival nor his Plan B was activated.
The technicians of Barça have not stopped since the end of summer. It has combed the European market and the truth is that they like players like the aforementioned Di Maria (PSG), Lemar (Monaco) and the cracks of Tottenham Eriksen and Dele Alli , but now they are not available. They are very expensive and also their clubs do not want to sell in the winter market.
Meanwhile, Özil is 29 years old but it is considered that he could give at least three seasons of good football. Pep Segura , sports manager, appreciates him as Plan B. He is fit and is a starter in his club and with the German team, of which he is captain. That yes, it generates some doubts a certain shadow of indolence that surrounds him.
The German ends contract in 2018 and does not want to renew knowing that it has a market. Arsenal does not rule out selling it in January. In fact, Arsène Wenger has admitted that Özil has offers of large clubs for winter being one of them Barca . The Alsatian technician sees it difficult to continue and does not hide it.
The FC Barcelona continues to work face to be reinforced in the winter. Philippe Coutinho is the priority for youth (25 years), quality and versatility, but his case is complicated. The information that comes out of the club azulgrana is that Liverpool does not want to sell and if agreed to do so would be a very expensive operation. There will be a last attempt to force a negotiation by the Brazilian.
In any case, the desire of Barça is to incorporate in January an offensive medium that gives relief to Andres Iniesta to aspire to win everything this season. If it can not be Coutinho , another will come. There is a free chip in the template. And one of the best situated alternatives is that of Mesut Özil (29 years old, Arsenal ). The conclusion of the Barça club's technicians is that there are not so many Barça players that can play the Champions League and that they can go out in the winter at an affordable price. Özil meets these four requirements.
The name of the German of the Arsenal has already been on the table in meetings of technical planning of the Barça for his quality and his contractual situation. And it is that Özil ends contract on June 30, does not want to renew with Arsenal and, therefore, his club can not ask for a high price for him knowing that in summer 2018 ends contract. At least, if you want to get some revenue and not see him leave for free.
In this sense, and as MD has learned, the club has already made moves to know what would be the price of the German international, which various media in England assessed at ten or fifteen million euros. The information that the Barça club manages today is that Özil would cost something more, about 20 million euros.
An amount that is making Barca meditate very seriously on his signing. The reality is that the Plan A of Robert Fernandez is Coutinho , but the Barca leaders do not want to limit themselves to that player. If not, they run the risk of running out of nothing as happened in the summer with Coutinho himself and Di Maria . His hiring was attempted until the last day but neither his arrival nor his Plan B was activated.
The technicians of Barça have not stopped since the end of summer. It has combed the European market and the truth is that they like players like the aforementioned Di Maria (PSG), Lemar (Monaco) and the cracks of Tottenham Eriksen and Dele Alli , but now they are not available. They are very expensive and also their clubs do not want to sell in the winter market.
Meanwhile, Özil is 29 years old but it is considered that he could give at least three seasons of good football. Pep Segura , sports manager, appreciates him as Plan B. He is fit and is a starter in his club and with the German team, of which he is captain. That yes, it generates some doubts a certain shadow of indolence that surrounds him.
The German ends contract in 2018 and does not want to renew knowing that it has a market. Arsenal does not rule out selling it in January. In fact, Arsène Wenger has admitted that Özil has offers of large clubs for winter being one of them Barca . The Alsatian technician sees it difficult to continue and does not hide it.
