---
title: "Ozil ‘demands’ to leave Arsenal amid Barcelona interest"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2016/02/13/ozil-demands-leave-arsenal-amid-barcelona-interest/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Hamdani"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2016-02-13T10:23:51Z"
modified: "2016-02-13T10:32:27Z"
---

# Ozil ‘demands’ to leave Arsenal amid Barcelona interest

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has ‘demanded’ to leave the club, after rejecting the offer of a new contract amid interest from La Liga giants and UEFA Champions League round of 16 opponents Barcelona.

> Twitter: So with over a week before FCB papers in Spain report how some Arsenal players won’t renew etc etc. All made up garbage. (@DarrenArsenal1)

[According to Spanish news outlet *MARCA*](https://www.marca.com/futbol/barcelona/2016/02/13/56be7263ca47411c7e8b4643.html), last season’s treble winners have ignited an interest in the former Real Madrid midfielder, who they see as someone to drive the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

*MARCA* believe that Ozil is no longer interested in *just* making it into the Champions League and would rather try to win it before the latter stages of his career.

![Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/508933918.jpg)

With the Gunners facing Barcelona in Europe’s biggest cup competition in 10 days time, it seems as though the rumours coming out of Spain could just be to unsettle the player, [who has recently expressed his desire to remain](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3002299/Mesut-Ozil-happy-Arsenal-says-does-not-want-leave-Premier-League.html) in north London.

![Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/508907134.jpg)

Arsenal [signed Ozil in 2013 for a fee believed to be in the region of £42.4m](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/23929339), with the German going on to have two tough debut seasons before stunning in the current campaign, having 16 assists and six goals to his name in the Premier League.