MIKEL ARTETA stopped Mesut Ozil moving to a Qatari side in January, it has been claimed.
Arsenal reportedly received a permanent offer to take the playmaker off their hands before their Spanish boss intervened.
Gunners big-wigs have been trying to shift Ozil’s staggering 350k-a-week wages from the books since the summer and they could have achieved it last month if it wasn’t for Arteta, according to 90min.
Turkish club Istanbul Basaksehir and MLS side DC United have both shown interest this season but after the reported offer from the Qatari side, it looked like the 31-year-old would finally leave.
But Arteta – who is said to have been seriously impressed with the German since his arrival – was having none of it.
Wayne Rooney’s former team DC United are still said to be interested in Ozil and will reportedly make a move for him NEXT January when he will have just six months left on his Emirates deal.
But despite stories linking him with moves away from the Premier League, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard recently heaped praise on the ex-Real Madrid man after his team’s 2-2 draw with ten-man Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
When asked why his side struggled to take control despite having a man advantage, Lampard explained: ”Well I think probably for 15 minutes in the first half it did because I think we were still probably in the mindset of them with 11.
”And Ozil pulling out to the side and giving you some problems and I think we ended up being in a kind of middle ground.
”So I was pleased for half-time so I could address that.
“I think we were used to having a little bit of an issue where Ozil comes out to the side and we sort of stayed in the mode of dealing with them with 11, when really with 10 we could have been more aggressive.”
