Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil has put Jerome Boateng into his dream XI, months after it was claimed that Mikel Arteta turned down the chance to sign him for the Gunners.
Sky Deutschland said that Arsenal had an opportunity to sign the Bayern Munich defender back in April, but Arteta much preferred other options – as covered by HITC at the time.
The report suggested that the Arsenal boss wanted younger targets than Boateng, and it seems to have been correct, as 22-year-old Gabriel has now joined the Gunners this summer.
Ozil may have been one player who was disappointed that Boateng didn’t make the move to North London though, as the attacking midfielder clearly rates the centre-back very highly.
Ozil and Boateng have played together at international level and won the World Cup alongside each other in 2014.
The powerful defender is now 32, but still showed his quality this season, as he helped Bayern win the Champions League.
Elsewhere in Ozil’s dream XI, Santi Cazorla was the only ex-Arsenal player who made it, with most the team being filled with players who he played alongside for Real Madrid.
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