The news of Wayne Rooney’s looming departure from D.C. United has cast a dark cloud over the Eastern Conference team, but a fresh rumor linking the club with another international star has offered some hope for the struggling club.

According to multiple reports, D.C. United officials are set to meet with representatives for Arsenal playmaker and World Cup-winning German midfielder Mesut Ozil.

A move for the 30-year-old midfielder seems far-fetched given his high salary, but with Rooney set to join Derby County in January, and D.C. United playmaker Luciano Acosta expected to leave the club after the season when his contract expires, D.C. could be faced with the prospects of losing its two best attacking players, requiring the team to make a big move to help offset those losses.

D.C. United is in the process of finalizing a move for former LA Galaxy striker Ola Kamara, but that addition would do little to help fill the looming void in the superstar department, and with a new stadium to fill, D.C. United will be working the transfer market to find a suitable big name to replace Rooney.

Volatile Italian striker Mario Balotelli is another name that has been floated around as a potential option for D.C. United, but Ozil would be a considerable coup for D.C. given the likelihood that both Rooney and Acosta will be gone after the current season.

What do you think about the Ozil-to-D.C. United link? See it being a good fit? Think it’s a pipe dream?

Share your thoughts below.