Ozil due for Arsenal medical as €47m deal edges closer

The Gunners have agreed a club-record fee for
the Germany international and are now in
negotiations with his representatives over
personal terms
By Wayne Veysey
Mesut Ozil is on standby to undertake an
Arsenal medical on Monday afternoon as he
continues to negotiate personal terms with the
club.
The Gunners have agreed a €47 million fee
with Real Madrid for the Germany international
and are confident of completing the deal
before Monday night’s 11pm transfer deadline.
Sources have told Goal that Arsenal’s record-
breaking move is “very close to being agreed”
amid reports of late interest from Manchester
United and Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsene Wenger will have to smash his wage
structure to land Ozil, and senior club officials
have been in detailed negotiations with the
player’s representatives since Sunday evening.
Ozil is due to meet up with the Germany squad
ahead of the World Cup qualifiers this weekend
but should have no problem being given
dispensation from the national team to have a
medical.
It is expected that it would take place at
Arsenal's London Colney headquarters but it is
understood there is the facility for it to
happen in Germany.
As revealed by Goal, goalkeeper Emiliano
Viviano has already had a medical, which he
passed on Monday morning, and has agreed
the terms of a season-long loan from Palermo.
Arsenal are also working on a loan deal for
Chelsea striker Demba Ba and are still in the
running to capture Angel Di Maria, also from
Real, for €30m.
The Londoners are most confident of pushing
through the Ozil deal, which would more than
double their record transfer outlay, after
holding high-level talks with Real in recent
days.
Wenger turned his attention to Real Madrid’s
battery of elite attackers after it became
increasingly clear that Gareth Bale was set for
a world-record €100 m move to Spain.
The Gunners tabled a €30m bid for Di Maria
last week and are still waiting to hear from
Real if it has been accepted. The Argentine
winger has begun the season in impressive
form and is reluctant to cut his ties with the
Bernabeu.
However, Ozil was left on the bench for Real’s
3-1 win on Sunday after being substituted
during the 1-0 win at Granada six days
previously, which he reacted to by storming
down the tunnel and onto the team bus.
Asked about overlooking Ozil in favour of Di
Maria on Sunday, Ancelotti said: “It’s to be
expected that he’s not happy. I don’t like
players who are happy to be on the bench. It
was a football decision to play Di Maria, who is
playing well and with great intensity" .