Manchester United face missing out on Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil as Barcelona prepare massive free-agent deal

Mesut Ozil will be offered £350,000-a-week to move to Barcelona.

The Spanish giants are interested in signing the Arsenal star, who is out of contract at the end of the season and could command a huge pay-day next summer.

Manchester United chief Jose Mourinho is also keen, and Ozil may be tempted to link up again with his former Real Madrid boss at Old Trafford.

But the Germany international is allowed to sign a pre-contract with a foreign club from January 1 after reaching a stalemate with the Gunners over a new deal.

There is a growing belief that Ozil – whose representatives have been seeking a £350,000-a-week deal for him to stay at the Emirates – will leave next summer and is now getting big offers from top European clubs.

It has left Arsenal facing a major dilemma over whether to try to cash in on him during the upcoming winter window or let him and striker Alexis Sanchez – a target for Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain – both walk away for nothing after the season.

Manager Arsene Wenger has admitted the Gunners may consider selling one of them in January but insists Ozil will not be affected by the ongoing doubts about his future and te fact he is able to sign a pre-contract elsewhere in just over a month.

Wenger said: “I have no concerns. What kind of control can I have over that?

All these people have agents who can talk to anybody. That doesn’t disturb people, that happens all through their career.

“What does that mean, transparency? They are like I am, they focus on the next game and deal with the rest later.

“They are honest. I don’t question their honesty.

“Nobody knows what will happen when the players reach the end of their contracts. Our worry is to perform on Sunday at Burnley, that’s it.

“I am more concerned about the team performance. Ozil and Alexis are praised when the team is doing well because of them, and when the team doesn’t do well they get more criticism. I’m more concerned that the team focuses on strong performances.”