Arguably the greatest manager in Premier League history, Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson, reminded Wayne Rooney of his place when he argued the club should have gone after ex-Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil. Ferguson asked Rooney to focus on his game and leave the recruitment decisions to the management.
Mesut Ozil Joined Real Madrid After 2010 FIFA World Cup
Ozil enjoyed an excellent campaign for Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The gifted play-maker featured in all seven games as Die Mannschaft finished third, chipping in with a goal and three assists. Impressed with his performances, La Liga giants Real Madrid prized him away from Werder Bremen, paying a mere €18 million ($20.06 million) fee for his services.
Ozil spent the following three seasons in the Spanish capital, contributing with 27 goals and 81 assists in 159 matches. He became a part of the Real Madrid folklore, thanks to his mesmerizing passes, exceptional movement, and timely goals. His telepathic understanding with Cristiano Ronaldo was a thing of beauty, with their partnership proving pivotal as Madrid ended Barcelona’s La Liga dominance in 2011-12.
Wayne Rooney Wanted Mesut Ozil At Manchester United
Shortly after Ozil joined Real Madrid, Rooney told Ferguson that Manchester United should have signed the playmaker from Werder Bremen. Ferguson, however, was not looking for recruitment suggestions from one of his players.
In his autobiography “Alex Ferguson: My Autobiography”, the manager recalled the incident and revealed (via talkSPORT):
“Wayne said that we should have pursued Mesut Ozil, who had joined Real Madrid from Werder Bremen.
“My reply was that it was none of his business who we should have gone for. I told him it was his job to play and perform. My job was to pick the correct teams. And so far I had been getting it right.”
He added:
“Well, he was not on our radar at the time. Ozil when at Werder Bremen played wide right, then towards the end of the season played him off the front.
“He went to South Africa and did very well. But wasn’t on our radar. But I explained to Wayne and we get most of our decisions right.”
After bidding Real Madrid a tearful goodbye in 2013, Ozil joined Arsenal. He settled in nicely in London and quickly became a fan favorite, thanks to his soft-spoken nature and jaw-dropping performances. Ozil played 254 games for the Gunners in seven seasons, scoring 44 times and providing 75 assists.
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