‘Every time he touches the ball, the ball smiles’ – Man United boss Mourinho is a long term admirer of £42.5m Arsenal target
Manchester United have been linked with a move for Arsenal star Mesut Ozil according to the Sport Bild.
Per the source, Ozil could end up joining United on a free transfer at the end of the season.
The playmaker of Turkish origin has under 12 months remaining on his contract but has yet to renew his deal.
See More: “Mesut don’t do that to us” – Arsenal fans distraught as they react to Ozil to Man United link
Ozil played under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey – he provided 47 assists and scored 19 goals in 103 league game.
The attacking midfielder setup 81 goals and scored 27 goals during his time at the Madrid based giants.
In 2011 Mourinho said: “Ozil has evolved.
“Before, there were details, glimpses of his class, but he mixed those with quieter moments. Now he stands out for his dynamism and the continuity in his game.
“He’s an ambitious boy with a feeling for magic passes.”
The 28-year-old was widely regarded as being one of the best No 10’s in the world. In fact Mourinho went onto call him just that back in 2013.
“Özil is unique. He’s the best no. 10 in the world,” Mourinho was quoted as saying by Marca.
Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson meanwhile told the BBC a story which Mourinho told him.
“Jose Mourinho once said to me, when sometimes he would turn his back in training with Real Madrid he could always tell when Ozil struck the ball,” Lawrenson told BBC Sport.
“It made a different sound.”
In June 2014, after attracting criticism following his first season at Arsenal, Mourinho was quoted as saying:
“I learned with him because we were together for quite a long time, that he’s a very sensitive boy.
“He needs confidence. He needs trust. He needs to feel that people is with him. When he’s on the pitch, every time he touches the ball, the ball goes beautiful.
“And he’ll always finds the right man on the right place. So, sometimes, you don’t see him, sometimes he doesn’t go to screen many, many times. But when he goes he is a special player.
“If you are expecting Ozil to be super aggressive and running miles and miles side to side and to show great enthusiasm and aggressivity – this is not Mesut .
“If you are waiting for somebody who every time he touches the ball, the ball smiles and every time he makes the pass the ball goes in the right direction with the right speed and intensity – this is Mesut.”
