Arsenal outcast Mesut Ozil in talks with MLS club D.C. United

Mesut Ozil is in negotiations to join MLS side D.C. United. What can the Arsenal outcast bring to the MLS?

Mesut Ozil was once one of the greatest playmakers European football has witnessed. He played an integral role in Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid side which scored goals for fun. His link-up play with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo was simply put, sublime.

Ozil then joined one of the most successful sides in England, in Arsenal, and played his part in the club re-igniting its domestic cup success and winning several FA Cups. Impressive.  Mesut Ozil has been a headline dominator for many, many years. Although, It’s not always been glory and praise.

Many have questioned Ozil’s passion, work rate, desire, and attitude to football for years. Flickering between him being a problem in the dressing room to questioning his lack of strength and movement around the pitch. Now, Ozil spends his matchdays usually from the comfort of his own home in north London. Tweeting score predictions and reminding Arsenal fans that he is in fact, still there.

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Watching Mesut Ozil in the Premier League since his arrival at Arsenal in 2013 from Real Madrid has been intriguing. He has been one of the best passers of the ball in the league I’ve ever seen. Finding complex ways through deep-lying defensive set-ups seemingly effortlessly.

However, the concept of ‘effortlessly’ has played a part in the mixed-reviews Ozil has received down the years. Many Arsenal and general football fans have criticised his lack of coverage on the pitch at times. His ability to lose most 50/50 tackles or hesitate from actually going into them has, at moments, found Ozil being branded a luxury and weak.

Although I’ve always held that Ozil would benefit from a deep-lying, sweeping, defensive player sat behind him. One that Arsenal haven’t truly had since Patrick Viera. If you look across north London, to Tottenham. They had a similar playmaker in Christian Eriksen.

Eriksen thrived at Spurs when he had players like Wanyama, Dembele and Dier sat comfortably behind him. Putting in a shift, winning the ball back, and simply knocking it to Eriksen to create the magic. Arsenal have often populated their midfield positions with creative, lighter footballers.

Lacking players who simply want to win the ball back. It’s changed a bit this season, which is why you’d think Mesut Ozil could have found his way back into the Premier League clubs starting 11. Or at least the bench.

Ozil is a player who can thrive in MLS. He has all the creativity and ability to exploit every defence in the league. The same way he has done so in England, Spain, and Germany, throughout his illustrious career. From all the superstar players who have landed in the MLS throughout the past 15 years. This one could easily be one of the most mouth-watering. If Ozil really fancies it, he can make a dazzling impact at D.C. United.

During the last 8 years at Arsenal, Mesut Ozil played 254 games, scoring 44 and assisting 77 goals across all competitions. Whilst playing for Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, the German playmaker got 80 assists and scored 27 times across all competitions. Phenomenal. There is no doubt in my mind, that a player capable of numbers like this can’t tear up the MLS for D.C. United. And I for one, am extremely excited at the prospect.