Dortmund targeting top teens
Emery insists Mesut has found form & focus since giving up international football after bitter racism row
felt like the right place for me,” he said.
“I’ve had fantastic support at every level since I arrived nine years ago and I’ve always felt opportunities would come if I continued to work hard.”
King Power boss Claude Puel said: “Ben is an exciting young player with huge potential who is already learning and improving by playing regular Premier League football.
“He should become a valuable player for us and the England team.” ARSENAL: LEICESTER:
Maddison, Vardy. REFEREE:
ODDS: UNAI EMERY hopes Arsenal will gain where Germany lost when a focused Mesut Ozil returns to action against Leicester tonight.
The midfielder quit international football after the World Cup – and the Mannschaft suffered another two humbling defeats last week to set a new record of six losses in 2018. Arsene Wenger claimed the man he signed for £42million in 2013 could lose motivation now he will no longer pull on the Germany shirt to take part in major tournaments.
But Ozil has shown glimpses of his old form this season with two goals in a Gunners side which has won nine games in a row.
And boss Emery said: “For those who are playing with national teams, it’s not easy as they are playing two matches. “When the players stop these games maybe it can lead to more focus for us, with training and improving.
“It could help him understand our ideas more quickly.”
Ozil is fit to play after missing the 5-1 thrashing of Fulham
– which led delighted Gunners fans to chant, “We’ve got our Arsenal back” – because of a back spasm.
Emery has not picked him and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the same starting team since the defeats in the opening two Premier League games of the season. Asked what has improved since then, Emery said: “I think the first thing is who is the opposition. Manchester City and Chelsea were the first two games.
“They are two teams in form and with more points than us.
“Their qualities and performances are very, very high.
“But also we are doing our way and we improving our things.
“We need to carry on to find our best individual and collective performance to stay close to them.
“But we need to get better in a lot of things now.
“It is our best target now, ‘Don’t stop. Think and analyse with the players to improve this’.”
Former Gunners target Jamie Vardy (above), who also retired from national service in the summer, has six goals in six league starts against Arsenal.
“He’s a very good player,” said Emery. “He has talent, he has speed for the counter-press.
“We will not want to give him chances to continue scoring against us.” FROM BACK PAGE first team squad, and fellow 17-year-old Callum HudsonOdoi of Chelsea.
Dortmund’s interest comes after Jadon Sancho, given his first England cap in the Nations League draw in Croatia, proved a hit at the German club.
They believe that after the success of the 18-year-old former Manchester City youth player, other youngsters will swap the Premier League for Germany.
England Under-17 striker Duncan, a cousin of Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, moved to Anfield in the summer after a compensation package was agreed with Manchester City.
Hudson-Odoi starred for Chelsea in pre-season and, despite boss Maurizio Sarri promising him first-team chances, he has found it difficult to get game time.
That has also alerted Monaco, with their new boss Thierry Henry keeping tabs on him. The French club’s sporting director Michael Emenalo is familiar with Hudson-Odoi from his time at Stamford Bridge.
Dortmund have not been deterred by Pep Guardiola’s insistence that Foden, one of City’s prize assets, is staying put.