• Premier League

United could have signed Ozil - Moyes

ESPN staff
November 9, 2013
Mesut Ozil is Arsenal's record signing having joined from Real Madrid © PA Photos
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David Moyes has admitted Manchester United turned down the chance to sign Mesut Ozil before Arsenal made him their record signing in the summer.

Ozil signed for Arsenal from Real Madrid for a club-record £42.5 million, but ahead of their Premier League tie at Old Trafford on Sunday, Moyes indicated he already had the necessary personnel to occupy his midfield - and therefore was not tempted to break the bank for the German.

"We weren't close to buying him but something was mooted a little bit before that," Moyes said. "We didn't need that position at the time. I didn't even say it was an interest, it was put to us and it was just something at the time we didn't need.

"We had Shinji Kagawa and Wayne Rooney and people of a similar ilk so it wasn't quite what we required at that time. We were looking at different positions."

Meanwhile, Moyes also reflected on his failure to sign Aaron Ramsey while he was manager at Everton.

Ramsey, 22, was close to joining Everton from Cardiff in 2008 before being snapped up by Arsenal.

"I was very close to signing Aaron," Moyes said. "I had him and his family in my house but Arsenal beat me to it. He has played really well. He now sees himself as one of their really important players and has not let them down with the goals he has scored."

United sit eight points behind their rivals ahead of Sunday's crunch clash, although Arsene Wenger was quick to give his counterpart a vote of confidence before taking his side to Manchester.

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