Arsenal's Mesut Ozil would be admitting he can't be a No1 option if he joins Barcelona, says Martin Keown

Mesut Ozil would be abandoning the chance to be a “No1” option if he leaves Arsenal for Barcelona, according to Gunners great Martin Keown.

Barcelona have been consistently linked with Ozil by Spanish media though have yet to make a formal move for the World Cup winner, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Though Ozil has publicly professed his desire to stay in London he has turned down an extension worth around £250,000-a-week.

Ozil could provide Barcelona with a medium-term replacement for the ageing Andres Iniesta, as well as a cheaper alternative to Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, for whom they had three bids eventually reaching £114million in value rejected.

​Keown believes Ozil would be a wise investment for the Liga giants but warned the 29-year-old that if he dreams of being the leading player in a side he would not be able to fulfil that ambition at Camp Nou.

“I don’t think he would be a bad signing,” Keown wrote in the Daily Mail. “Everyone knows his calibre. Look at who he would be assisting – Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez... they are not going to turn him down because they know his vision.

“But the next step for him was to become a Messi or a Ronaldo type player – more ruthless. Going to a situation like that at Barcelona admits he is a provider rather than someone who can be a No 1.

“Most of the time he looks like he is playing for fun. When he’s happy, he plays well. But when he’s not happy, he doesn’t.”

Barcelona are not the only suitor for Ozil, with Inter Milan and Turkish giants Fenerbahce also in the hunt for his signature.