German international declares intent to stay put.
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Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil has announced that he intends to stay at the club this summer despite heavy interest from Arsenal and Manchester United, Sky Sports reports.
The German international midfielder was thought to be one of the names on the chopping block at the club in the wake of Gareth Bale’s world record transfer to the Spanish capital, and rumours were stoked at the weekend as reports emerged that he stormed down the tunnel after being substituted during Real’s 1-0 win at Granada, but the 24-year-old says he will be staying in Spain.
“I have a contract until 2016, I feel very good here and get on well with my team-mates,” he said.
“For me it’s an honour to play here with this team.
“There has been a lot written in the press, they have spoken of interesting options but I have a contract and I am staying at Real Madrid.”
Ozil has apparently been unsettled by the arrival of Isco from Malaga over the summer and Bale’s imminent arrival has put doubts in his mind over whether he’ll get to keep a hold of his spot in the starting line up.
But the former Werder Bremen star says that he understands the role that new coach Carlo Ancelotti wants him to play this season.
“I have the confidence of the coach and there is a series of objectives that we want to achieve in which everyone has their own role to play. This is one of the reasons I want to stay,” he added.