Reports: Barcelona ready to offer Arda Turan in exchange for Premier League superstar

What's the story?

Barcelona have been heavily linked with Coutinho, but new reports from 101Goals claim that the Blaugrana are ready to offer Arda Turan in exchange for Arsenal superstar Mesut Ozil. The German superstar is yet to agree on a new contract with the Gunners and Barcelona are keen on signing Ozil for a cut-price deal.

With Andres Iniesta on the wrong side of 30, Ernesto Valverde is on the lookout for a top quality world class playmaker and Ozil is more than capable of settling into the role. Barcelona CEO Oscar Grau even said that the Catalan giants are eyeing a big signing in January:

"We are ready to buy Coutinho in the winter market, or any player the technical staff request," Grau said.

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Will Ozil become a future Barcelona superstar?

Although Barcelona have made a solid start to the season, Valverde is still keen on strengthening the squad. The midfield area especially has come under increasing scrutiny and with Ozil reportedly available in January, the Catalan giants are ready to swoop in and sign the 29-year-old.

Another interesting aspect is the fact that Ozil enjoyed an extremely successful 3-year spell at arch-rivals Real Madrid and it will be interesting to see how the Real Madrid fans react if this stunning move does indeed come to fruition.

The heart of the matter

Arsenal have not managed to convince Ozil and Sanchez to sign contract extensions and it might be in their best interests to sell the German star and minimise their losses. Also, Arda Turan is a more than capable player and the Turkish international could soften the considerable loss of Mesut Ozil.

Although Barcelona have made Coutinho their prime target, the availability of Ozil has reportedly made Valverde reconsider his options.

Video

When in the mood, Ozil can be pretty magical to watch!

Author's take

The German superstar is coveted by plenty of top clubs across Europe, but a move to Barcelona makes the most sense for everyone involved. Arsenal will not be selling to a direct rival, they will be getting a quality player in return and Ozil will get the opportunity to link up with some of the best players in the world.

If the move does indeed come to fruition, it will definitely be interesting to see the 29-year-old link up with the likes of Messi and Suarez.