Mesut Ozil has received advice on how he can secure a move to Manchester United and earn huge wages - by running down his contract.

The Arsenal forward has stalled on signing a new deal at the Emirates, and his contract is set to expire in the summer. He's keen on a move to Manchester United to link back up with Jose Mourinho, who he played under at Real Madrid.

Arsene Wenger previously admitted he could sell the German international in January, alongside Alexis Sanchez, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Ozil played alongside Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid (
Image:
Getty)

Ozil is free to open negotiations with other clubs in the new year but M.E.N. Sport understands a January move to United is unlikely and he would have to move on a free transfer to secure a wage hike. Ozil currently earns £154,000-a-week and wants that sum increased by 30 per cent to £202,000-a-week, it is understood, to make him one of the Premier League's highest earners.

Despite strong interest from Ozil's camp, United are not believed to have made an approach for the Germany playmaker and Mourinho has not decided on whether to prioritise signing Ozil for the second time in his career. Mourinho's Real Madrid saw off interest from United in 2010 to sign Ozil for a knockdown £12.4million from Werder Bremen.

A bizarre sticking point during negotiations with Arsenal is Ozil wants to wear the club's No.10 shirt, which was assigned to Jack Wilshere a year before Ozil's £42.4m transfer. If Ozil were to join United he could receive the No.10 unless Zlatan Ibrahimovic stays for a third season.

Ozil could move to Man United on a free transfer at the end of the season (
Image:
Stuart MacFarlane)

Ozil is also open to a return to Madrid - or a move to Barcelona - but United are the only Premier League club he would consider moving to. He has ruled out playing in Italy or Turkey.

Wayne Rooney wanted Sir Alex Ferguson to sign Ozil after the 2010 World Cup amid concerns over the club's lack of ambition in transfer windows following Carlos Tevez's and Cristiano Ronaldo's departures.

"Ozil played wide right at Werder Bremen and then off the front in the second half of the season," Ferguson wrote in his 2013 autobiography. "He was part of the great Under-21 team that then went to South Africa and played very well but had not been on our radar to have that type of player, a No.10 off the front. I explained to Wayne to leave the signing of the players to me."

The German's contract at Arsenal is set to expire in the summer (
Image:
Arsenal FC/Getty)

Ferguson watched Ozil play for Werder Bremen in a pre-season friendly at Fulham in August 2010 and sheepishly remarked a 'lot of clubs are interested in Ozil'. United explored the possibility of signing Ozil during Moyes' only summer transfer window as Real sought a buyer to offset the world record fee for Gareth Bale, but the Scot was reluctant to sign a playmaker with Rooney angling to leave again.

Mourinho embraced Ozil and received his shirt after he led Chelsea to a fourth round League Cup victory at Arsenal in October 2013 and Ozil spoke effusively about Mourinho in his book. Ozil revealed the Portuguese once motivated him by labelling him a 'coward'.

Arsene Wenger admitted he could sell Ozil in January (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

"You think two beautiful passes are enough. You think you're so good that fifty per cent is enough," Mourinho supposedly said to Ozil after a Real match. Ozil recalled tossing his shirt to the floor and Mourinho replied: "Oh, are you giving up now? You're such a coward.

"What do you want? To creep under the beautiful, warm shower? Shampoo your hair? To be alone? Or do you want to prove to your fellow players, the fans out there, and me, what you can do."

Bastian Schweinsteiger is the only German who has played for United.

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