Jose Mourinho refuses to rule out reunion with Mesut Ozil at Manchester United ahead of crunch clash at Arsenal
German playmaker's Emirates contract runs out in the summer, and he can start to negotiate with other clubs from January
JOSE MOURINHO has refused to rule out a sensational reunion with Mesut Ozil at Manchester United.
The German playmaker's Arsenal contract runs out in the summer, and he can start to negotiate with other clubs from January.
Barcelona are among Europe's big-hitters keeping an eye on the situation as they look to improve their forward line.
But, asked about the potential of signing Ozil at United ahead of his side's trip to the Emirates, a smiling Mourinho replied: "No comment."
And, when asked his thoughts on a player of the German's quality being out of contract, he was more forthcoming.
He added: "That’s football. They finish their contracts.
"[Marouane] Fellaini finishes his contract.
"There are other important players in Europe in other teams that they finish their contracts.
"Sometimes players decide to go in this direction, which is the right that they have.
"They gamble because imagine one of these players has a big knee injury, if one of these players has one of these injuries, probably next season, he is without a club.
"Players have the right to do that and I don’t blame the clubs because the clubs, they try and try, but the players they have the right to go into this type of situation.
"Many times it is good for them because they sometimes go on a free transfer and they can get huge salaries.
"Other times, the clubs make an extra effort to keep them and they go with them also to very high salaries.
"I repeat, I am not speaking about Alexis [Sanchez] or Ozil, I am speaking about the general situation.
"Even as managers, some of us prefer to let the contract go until the last year and in the last year we make the decision to stay, to leave.
"You know, it’s a risk for everyone, but sometimes the risk works and that’s football.
"The important thing is that the players remain professionals and they remain focused in the clubs where they are and they give everything to the clubs until the last day."
Mourinho signed Ozil for Real Madrid in 2010 and the pair spent three years together in the Spanish capital.