Real Madrid Stars, Others Question Ozil Exit

The Liga giants decided to cash in on the much-loved attacking midfielder following the summer arrivals of Isco and Gareth Bale at the Santiago Bernabeu
Thomas Muller has become the latest high-profile player to express his astonishment at Real Madrid’s decision to allow Mesut Ozil to join Arsenal.
Los Blancos pocketed €50 million from the sale of the 24-year-old playmaker, whom they signed from Werder Bremen for a reported €15m in 2010.
However, even some of Madrid’s players have questioned the wisdom of allowing Ozil to leave after a summer of dramatic change in the Spanish capital, and now Muller has weighed in, admitting that he cannot understand why the Liga giants opted to offload a player who was as loved by his team-mates as he was by the fans.
“I knew that Mesut was feeling very comfortable at Madrid,” the Germany international said of his team-mate in an interview with Bild. “But, in football, things can happen quickly.
“Real threw everything overboard [this summer] – new coach [Carlo Ancelotti], new stars [Isco, Gareth Bale]. I wouldn’t have sold Mesut.
“However, I had the feeling that he is looking forward to a new chapter in his career at Arsenal.”
Meanwhile, Muller says that he has no desire to leave his current club, Bayern Munich, admitting that he is enjoying playing under new boss Pep Guardiola as much as he does Germany coach Joachim Low.
“He has a lot of fun with his work,” the 23-year-old enthused. “His goal is to positively influence the outcome of a football match.
“He makes great speeches and on the sidelines; he is similarly emotional as Jogi Low.”
Spurs chairman attempted to hijack Ozil’s Arsenal move.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy tried to persuade Real Madrid not to sell Mesut Ozil to Arsenal last night, according to El Confidencial.
The German international became Arsenal’s record signing when he made a late switch to the Emirates Stadium for £42.4m, capping a great end to the summer transfer window for the Gunners.
Spurs themselves have been busy this summer, enjoying access to considerable funds due to the world-record sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, though the lucrative sale of the Welshman may have also helped Arsenal succeed in luring Ozil away from the Bernabeu.
The 24-year-old has said that he felt under-appreciated by the Spanish giants, and was glad to seal a move to Arsenal where the management had shown a strong desire to sign him, and Bale’s arrival in Madrid would certainly have increased competition for places in Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
However, Levy was keen to make a special request that Real would not allow Ozil to join their rivals, pointing to a partnership agreed by the two clubs following the transfer of Luka Modric last summer.
These pleas were unsuccessful, however, as Real looked to bring in some money following the enormous investment in Bale, allowing Ozil to move to the Premier League giants.