Jose Mourinho has admitted that he blocked Demba Ba's move to Arsenal after hearing they had signed Mesut Ozil.The German completed a transfer deadline day move to Arsenal for £42.5 million and Mourinho this week compared his former player to all-time greats Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane.

“Ozil is unique, there is no copy of him, not even a bad one,” he said.

“He is the best No.10 in the world. He made things easier for me and
his team-mates with his vision of the game and the decisions that he
made.

“Everybody loves him and you can see a bit of Figo and Zidane in him."

Arsenal made an approach for Ba on the final day of the summer
transfer window and looked set to take the Senegalese striker on a
season-long deal, but their signing of the 24-year-old Ozil resulted in
Mourinho personally blocking the move.

“I did not accept Arsenal’s offer for Demba Ba
because added to their signing of Ozil, they would have been title
contenders," he said, in quotes reported by various national newspapers.

Wenger had prioritised a new striker all summer, but, with Olivier
Giroud his only fit and recognised striker available, he was forced to
call off the proposed sale of Nicklas Bendtner.

@Dynastian

Modric's defensive capabilities aren't even close to Alonso's. Modric can't play as a DM against any more than decent team. Modric was only shifted to the DM position because there was no room for him in the attacking slots.

@Tdot and Lodatz

But his essential positioning is DM. That's what I meant. His position. Not his playing style. I know that Modric is the Pirlo mold. But his general position in the lineup and on the pitch makes him a "DM", just like how Messi is a "striker" despite playing as a false nine.