Football Talk - Werder issue Ozil warning - 17/08/10
Werder Bremen have warned Real Madrid that Mesut Ozil will play for the club in the Champions League on Wednesday unless a deal is agreed within the next 24 hours.
Werder have already turned down what they deemed an "unacceptable" €9 million offer for Ozil, who impressed for Germany at the World Cup finals earlier this summer. The Bundesliga outfit claim that unless Real return with an improved bid the playmaker will be cup-tied for the Champions League.
Klaus Allofs, the Bundesliga club's general manager, said: "The facts are pretty clear. If a club is looking to sign Mesut to play Champions League, then that club needs to make a decision before Wednesday.
"If Mesut Ozil is a player of Werder Bremen on Wednesday, we are going to play him against Sampdoria. We have not lined up any plan to not do that for whatever reason," Allofs told the Deutsche Presseagentur. "It would be up to Real Madrid to show up with the right answer to this all."
It is reported that Bremen are seeking €16 million for Ozil, who has also attracted interest from Barcelona and Manchester United this summer. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is therefore preparing to ask director of sport Jorge Valdano to return to Bremen with a better bid.
''He is a very good player and I would be delighted were he to come to us,'' said the Portuguese coach after his side's penalty shoot-out win over Bayern. ''Bremen have said no so we will have to see how things develop. If he comes, it would certainly be excellent. Ozil would definitely help us.''
