Transfer Grades: Bale, Ozil, Fellaini, Lamela and Sakho

Mesut Ozil

Mesut Ozil – Real Madrid to Arsenal (£42.4m) What’s the deal? Arsenal finally break the habit of a decade and spend big money for an established world class player. Is the price right? Yes. No player has created more goals than Ozil in Europe over the last five years and he also scores at a good rate too. What they’ve got, is the best player in the team straight away. Unlike some players who have moved for big money lately, Ozil has years of success behind him, and at just 24 years of age, ahead of him. Why sign him? Because they had to. Although this isn’t exactly a panic buy, as last gasp signings go this is as good as there has ever been. Ozil not only immediately upgrades the Arsenal attack, but his presence will change the way Arsenal are viewed by other players. Scooping a starting quality player from Real Madrid is a big deal. Why sell him? With Isco having established himself as an Ancelotti favourite Ozil had already slipped down the pecking order and with the arrival of Bale, he became expendable. Not that Real fans or players agree with that mind. Possibly also sold to re-coup some of the huge outlay on Bale. Will it work? Yes. Ozil is a truly world class player and is slotting in to a team which is playing a style of football he is familiar with. Not only that, but he will have the total trust of Wenger and support from countrymen Mertesacker and Podolski. If anything, he can reach greater heights than at Real with that combination of factors. Arsenal Grade: A++ Yes they should have backed this up with another signing, and yes it’s a shame it came after the season started but objectively speaking, this is the best signing of the entire transfer window. Real Madrid Grade: D Regardless of the progress of Isco or the signing of Bale, this is still Mesut Ozil that they have sold. The reaction of fans and players says how important he was.