Arsenal are interested in signing Yannick Carrasco from Chinese club Dalian Yifang but can only afford the pacy winger if they manage to offload Mesut Ozil.
According to Belgian football expert, Kristof Terreur the north London club will struggle with the finances of the move. Speaking to Transfer Talk Podcast, he said, “Arsenal are looking for a winger, but do not have the money to buy him. If they are considering to take him on loan, he will have to take a pay cut, because he earns around 180,000 euros a week. It’s a lot of money.”
Mesut Ozil has not been the indispensable player that he was to Arsene Wenger under new boss Unai Emery, and Tuttomercato suggests that the Spaniard is completely ready to sell the German playmaker in January.
However, both the clubs that Ozil was offered to – Juventus and Inter Milan – have reportedly balked at his wages of 10 million euros, making it hard for the club to move him on.
Because of that, Arsenal are also prevented from signing Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco from Chinese club Dalian Yifang as he too commands a hefty wage bill of 11 million euros.
Carrasco, 25, who was part of the Belgian team that reached the semi finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2018, is eyeing a move back to Europe after spending lesser than a year in China.
Manchester United are also speculated to rival Arsenal for the winger’s signature but unlike their rivals, wouldn’t have an issue signing the player on massive wages without getting rid of other players.
FOX Sports Asia probability rating: 1/5; Mesut Ozil is on massive wages and at 29, is unlikely to accept a wage cut just yet. That makes it near impossible for another European club to sign him in January, making Arsenal’s chances of moving for Yannick Carrasco rather slim.