Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is claimed to have pleaded with Mesut Ozil not to join Spanish giants Barcelona from Arsenal.
The Catalan giants are claimed to be keen on signing the German international, having been put off by first-choice target Philippe Coutinho’s Liverpool price-tag.
Ozil is out of contract come the end of the campaign and will be allowed to discuss terms over a potential free transfer from January, and Barcelona seem to be one of few options he remains keen on.
Manchester United are also strongly linked with his potential capture next summer, which would see him team up with manager Jose Mourinho once again, having worked under the Portuguese in the Bernabeu previously.
Former team-mate Sergio Ramos has urged his former colleague to snub the advances of Barca, with the Spaniard claimed to have called his counterpart in order to put him off betraying his former club Real Madrid.
Interestingly Ramos is believed to have stuck up for the midfielder in the dressing room when coming under scrutiny by Jose Mourinho, and the latter is who he could well be pushing for him to join.
Ozil has refused to rule out the possibility of extending his stay with our club, but many are refusing to be drawn into such a possibility as his departure remains the most likely outcome.
Alexis Sanchez and Jack Wilshere are also in similar spots with their contracts also running out this summer, but the Chilean appears more certain to leave, while the England international has insisted that he wishes to sign a new deal with the club.
Would Ozil be put off a move to Barcelona due to his previous allegiance to Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid?
Pat J