Arsenal And Barcelona To Be Involved In A Sensational Swap Deal
Reuters / Dylan Martinez
After the stunning arrival of Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund last week, Barcelona have now turned their attention to Arsenal superstar Mesut Ozil, following their failed attempts at luring Liverpool talisman Philippe Coutinho to the Nou Camp.
Moreover, Arda Turan could be seen going the other way should the deal for the German international go through, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with the Turk for the past couple of seasons, and he is believed to be Arsene Wenger’s long-term target. Since joining from rivals Atletico Madrid back in 2015, Turan featured just 44 times across all competitions, and has failed to establish a stable position in the Barca squad.
However, with Ozil’s contract expiration less than a year away, along with a refusal to extend his stay, Wenger might be contemplating selling him for a decent sum rather than letting him go on a free transfer at the end of his tenure.
REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Meanwhile, adding much to the frustration of the Arsenal faithful, the two clubs have reportedly entered talks over a possible switch, as the German is excited over the idea of linking up with Lionel Messi and company. On the other hand, Turan hopes to experience regular first-team action, creating ideal conditions for the negotiations.
However, with reports of the departure of Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the Londoners could be losing an immense amount of attacking prowess. And on the flip side, bringing a former Real Madrid star makes sense for the Catalans, and would help ease the responsibility and burden placed on Messi.
Ozil, 28, has won 3 FA Cups and Community Shields since arriving from the Spanish capital. Clearly a vital figure in the Arsenal squad, the Gunners boss will be looking to extend his stay at the Emirates, but will make moves to replace the talented midfielder if they fail to do so.
Written by Ashish Sreejith 
Have had two addictions in life- playing football and watching football. Usually described as introverted but not when it comes to speaking and writing about the beautiful game of football.