Transfer news: Manchester United offered Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil for £40m to fund Gareth Bale move - reports

Real are looking to offload the unsettled German and any sale would go towards the completion of a deal for the Tottenham winger.

Mesut Ozil

Manchester United have been offered Real Madrid attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil for £40m according to reports suggesting that the Spanish club will offload the German to fund their offer for Gareth Bale.

United missed out on their top target Cesc Fabregas, although they will monitor the Barcelona midfielder should he change his wish to stay at the Nou Camp. The Premier League champions have also been linked with a move for fellow Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, but new manager Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear that the Croatian will not be leaving the Santiago Bernabeu this year.

However, 24-year-old Ozil has become unsettled at the La Liga club following their pursuit of Tottenham winger Bale along with the addition of Modric last season, and he has seen his first team place thrown into question should they complete a deal for the Welshman.

With a potential world-record transfer for Bale, Real are keen to generate the funds to complete the deal, and selling the Germany international for around £35m would do just that, with Ozil suiting the type of player United boss David Moyes is chasing.

Moyes is keen on making a big-name signing to ease some of the pressure on his shoulders after taking the reins at Old Trafford, and the addition of a playmaking midfielder that comes with an eye for a goal would be a signal of intent from the former Everton boss.

Ozil nearly joined United in 2010 after Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his interest in the then-Werder Bremen midfielder, but he chose to join Real for £12.5m.

United are also believed to be interested in Anzhi attacking midfielder Willian, who looks to be available for around £35m after the entire squad was put up for sale following billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov’s patience running out with the faltering side.

Moyes admitted yesterday that he always knew it would be a tough ask to bring in the right players so early on in his United career.

“This was always going to be a difficult window for me because I joined United on July 1, so it has given me a short period to get to know the players and the market,” he said. “But I’m confident we’ll get players in.”

The Independent