Istanbul Basaksehir 'would do anything' to sign Ozil from Arsenal

Mesut Ozil has been linked with Inter and Real Madrid recently but Turkish side could offer an alternative

Turkish Super Lig club are keen on an audacious swoop for Arsenal star Mesut Ozil.



Former international Ozil has struggled for form and fitness at Emirates Stadium this season and was left out of the match-day 18 for the 2-0 midweek defeat to rivals in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.



and are among the clubs to have been linked with Ozil, who is of Turkish descent, but Basaksehir president Goksel Gumusdag has offered him an alternative.



"Mesut Ozil is a precious player," Gumusdag said, as quoted by Bild .



"I hope one day our paths will cross at Basaksehir.



"If he wants to be with us as well, we would do anything to get him."



Ozil's reported weekly salary of £350,000 per week could present a problem to Basaksehir, who boast former Gunners Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Adebayor among their ranks.



Basaksehir are currently six points clear at the top of the Super Lig and the club's directors have close links to the 's ruling party and the country's controversial president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.



Ozil was photographed with Erdogan before the World Cup – a move that was poorly received in Germany and set off a chain of events culminating in the player's retirement from international football , where he cited "racism and disrespect" over his Turkish roots.



However, despite the continued speculation surrounding the Arsenal man, head coach Unai Emery insisted Ozil will return to the squad for Saturday's match against but refused to discuss whether or not the 30-year-old will be available for a loan or permanent transfer during the January window.



“I want every player with a good mentality to help us,” Emery said ahead of this weekend’s game . “He can give us his quality and his characteristics. We need Mesut Ozil.



“Every player wants to play and help the team when we need them. The frustration is the same for everybody when they haven't played a match.



“I have told him what we need from him. He has the commitment to help us and the quality and the characteristics to help us when the team need him on the pitch.