Moyes: Ozil was an option for United

Manchester United turned down the opportunity to sign Arsenal recruit Mesut Ozil in the summer, David Moyes has revealed.

GettyImagesOzil could have been playing for United this season.

 

United considered signing Ozil from Real Madrid before his club record move to the Emirates, but the presence of Shinji Kagawa and Wayne Rooney prevented Moyes from making an offer.


"We weren’t close to buying him but something was mooted a little bit before that," Moyes is quoted in the Mirror. "We didn’t need that position at the time. I didn’t even say it was an interest, it was put to us and it was just something at the time we didn’t need.


"We we had Shinji Kagawa and Wayne Rooney and people of a similar ilk so it wasn’t quite what we required at that time. We were looking at different positions."

Rooney could be key for United when they face Arsenal on Sunday, with the England international having scored ten times against the Gunners in his career, since opening his account against Arsene Wenger's side for Everton in 2002.

"Arsenal do crop up quite often," he said. "It's a bit weird. I'm sure they must be sick of the sight of me at times. That first goal for Everton does seem like a long time ago."