Bremen expect World Cup stars Oezil, Mertesacker to stay
By DPA, IANSSunday, July 11, 2010
HAMBURG - Mesut Oezil will fulfil his contract at Werder Bremen and may even renew it, general manager Klaus Allofs was quoted as saying Sunday amid alleged interest from several European top clubs in the young Germany midfielder.
“We have big aims for the season. We want to qualify for the Champions League and play at the top of the league. We can only achieve these aims with a strong team,” Allofs told the Weltam Sonntag paper.
Oezil, 21, has a contract in Bremen until 2011 and the club hopes he will stay longer in northern Germany.
Oezil was outstanding in Germany’s third-place finish at the World Cup which allegedly led to interest from Spanish champions Barcelona and English clubs including Manchester United and Arsenal.
Teammate Per Mertesacker has also reportedly been targeted from abroad, but Allofs is upbeat that the Germany central defender, who has a long-term deal, will also not leave in summer.
