Mesut Ozil makes his trademark celebration
Jose Mourinho wants Mesut Ozil at Manchester United. (Reuters)

Jose Mourinho wants to sign Mesut Ozil but Manchester United’s hierarchy prefer to make their move next summer, according to reports.

The Germany international is out of contract next summer and could be signed as a free agent if he does not agree a new deal with Arsenal.

The Daily Telegraph claims Mourinho wants Ozil as his new No.10 at Old Trafford, but the United manager may need to wait until the end of the season.

The report states that United’s preference is to sign the 29-year-old as a free agent, rather than pay a figure in the region of £25 million to land him in January.

Ozil is set to leave as a free agent next summer. (Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger has previously admitted that Ozil could leave the club in the upcoming window, but earlier this week, he backtracked and insisted that the midfielder would finish the campaign at Arsenal.

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When asked if United had any interest in Ozil in his pre-match press conference before the 3-1 win over Arsenal on Saturday, Mourinho smiled and replied: ‘No comment.’

Ozil, who worked with Mourinho for three years at Real Madrid, also approached Rui Faria and Silvino Louro, two United coaches who were at the Santiago Bernabeu with Mourinho, after Arsenal’s defeat at the Emirates Stadium.