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Real Madrid reluctantly let Ozil join Arsenal after Man Utd's Khedira bid 'came too late'
REAL MADRID never wanted to sell Mesut Ozil to Arsenal and would have preferred to have sold Sami Khedira to Manchester United, it has been revealed.
Reports in Spain suggest that Madrid accepted they would need to sell someone after Gareth Bale arrived but that there was a strong preference for that player not to be Ozil.
According to El Economista, Manchester United's deadline day £34m bid for Khedira came too late for Madrid to seriously consider it.
Arsenal's move for Ozil meanwhile had been in train for weeks, and with negotiations at an advanced stage and only hours to go until the transfer window shut, Florentino Perez reluctantly agreed to let Ozil depart.
Ozil's £42.5m move to Arsenal was met with surprise by Real Madrid players and fans alike, with many lamenting the German international's departure.
Arsenal fans, meanwhile, are delighted with their new acquisition despite the hefty price tag, with United still investigating this summer's transfer failings.