Transfer News: Manchester United Targets Arsenal Midfielder, Alexis Sanchez Makes Decision on Future

Could Manchester United move for Mesut Özil?

That is the claim from The Sun newspaper and SportBild in Germany. Both outlets note that German national Özil, 28, is out of contract at Arsenal in the summer of 2018 and has so far rejected all of the north London club's attempts to sign him to a new deal.

The Sun claims Arsenal offered Özil £8.1 million a season in salary to remain at Emirates Stadium, but he appears determined to move on from the club he signed for in 2013 from Real Madrid.

Özil will be free to sign where he wants next summer, and that could mean a possible reunion with José Mourinho at United. Özil played for Mourinho at Real between 2010 and 2013.

Mourinho was searching this summer for a left-sided attacker to complement United's attack. The United manager looked at Ivan Perišić of Inter Milan and was even linked with Real winger Gareth Bale, but he ended the summer transfer window without having filled that position. Özil, predominantly left-footed, would represent a significant addition in a position of need for United.

Arsenal could have sold Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City this summer for £60 million but chose to keep the Chile striker at the club for one more season. Sanchez, too, is out of contract in summer 2018. According to The Guardian, he has made a decision on his future and will sign for City as a free agent.

Real would like Sanchez, but as that possibility recedes, head coach Zinedine Zidane has identified several new strikers he would like to sign, according to reports in Spain. Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund and Andrea Belotti of Torino are all targets for Zidane, according to Don Balon, as Real seeks to move on from the celebrated era of Karim Benzema. The French striker has a hamstring injury and Zidane wants a replacement for Alvaro Morata, who departed for Chelsea in the summer.

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