by Anton Johan
Professional football is a competitive business, and it's not uncommon for the world's top premier division teams to squabble over players like pigeons over crumbs, such as talented 21-year-old German attacking midfielder
Mesut Ozil.
According to reports, Ozil, who's contract expired this year with his German Bundesliga club, Werder Bremen, is close to signing with current Spanish
La Liga champions FC Barcelona, to the chagrin of top English club, Manchester United.
Amidst wide speculation that Ozil would leave Germany behind for the rainy climes of England to play for the world's most famous football club, the Red Devils appear to have been pipped to the post by their La Liga counterparts, Barcelona.
And to rub salt in Manchester United's wound, Barcelona will probably pick up Ozil's contract for as little as 12 to 15 million euros, which in professional football terms is 'peanuts', and will undoubtedly turn out to be a canny long-term investment.
According to a report this week on a Spanish TV station, the only thing that has to be done before Ozil can join the Catalan champions is for the team's manager Pep Guardiola to green light the deal, which is expected to happen later this week.
Equally excited about the move is Ozil's former club Werder Bremen, who seem to be champing at the bit to use Ozil's transfer fee to get their hands on Marseille winger, Hatem Ben Arfa, who is also being courted by English club Newcastle United.
In other La Liga news, Liverpool midfielder, Javier Mascherano, is reportedly keen to play for Barcelona after a similar move to top-rated Italian Serie A club Inter Milan fell through. Apparently Internazionale balked at his £25 million transfer fee.
