Arsenal break record for Ozil

[1]

Arsenal smashed their transfer record by luring German playmaker Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid on Monday, while Manchester United made a late move to sign Marouane Fellaini from Everton.
Amid dizzying activity in the closing hours of the close-season transfer window, Arsenal grabbed the headlines with a sensational swoop for Ozil worth a reported fee of £42.4 million ($66 million, 50 million euros).
The move came on the day that Gareth Bale was presented as a Madrid player after leaving Arsenal’s arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of around £80 million, paving the way for Ozil’s exit.
Arsenal said Ozil had signed a “long-term contract,” with a reported duration of five years.
“We are extremely pleased to have signed Mesut Ozil,” said long-serving Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who had come under pressure from the club’s fans to deliver a major signing.
“We have watched and admired him for some time as he has all the attributes I look for in an Arsenal player.”
Ozil told the Arsenal website: “I am thrilled to be joining a club of the stature of Arsenal and am looking forward to playing in the Premier League.”
Arsenal, who had never previously spent more than £15 million on a player, also announced the signing of 27-year-old Italy international goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano from Palermo on a season-long loan.
Ozil’s transfer was the most significant development on a day when gross spending by Premier League clubs during the close-season transfer window surpassed £500 million for the first time, according to financial consultants Deloitte.
After a frustrating first summer as United manager, David Moyes brought in Belgian midfielder Fellaini, with whom he worked at Everton, in a deal worth £27.5 million.
Manager David Moyes added: “He is a player with great ability and strength and I think he will make a difference to our squad.”
Fellaini said he was “thrilled” with the move and that he “jumped at the chance” to renew his relationship with former Everton boss Moyes.
West Brom broke their transfer record to take Benin midfielder Stephane Sessegnon from Sunderland, who signed Italian striker Fabio Borini on loan from Liverpool and left-back Andrea Dossena from Napoli.