At the moment, the transfer window remains a relatively dormant beast, but still highly unstable. It is just tinkering on the edge as a number of deals threaten to send a whole host of clubs ballistic in a late trolley rush for replacements.
It seems Tottenham’s Gareth Bale is the rather runny glue keeping everything in place currently as his club continue to move the goalposts in the attempt to get more money from suitors Real Madrid.
Everything suggests the Wales international will make his world record €90m move eventually, but this looks to have alienated a number of Madrid’s players, none more so than Mesut Ozil.
The Germany international arrived in 2010 for the comparatively miniscule fee of €18m from Werder Bremen and became an integral part of the team almost instantly. He has so far scored 27 goals and assisted a further 81 in 159 official matches.
The inevitable signing of Bale is not the only deal that looks to have wound Ozil up. The more obvious threat to his position is already at the club in the form of Isco, after he joined from Malaga earlier this summer.
Both will be vying for the central attacking midfield role and, although the German can move to a wider position, Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria and Bale would surely all be ahead in the pecking order.
Aside from a competition for places, Madrid are also reportedly unwilling to match the star’s wage demands in contract negotiations.
According to reports, the German wants to add an extra €2m to his current €5m salary, but with it understood that Madrid are so far unwilling to meet that request, his body language on Monday night spoke volumes about his mental happiness.
During the 1-0 win at Granada, Ozil was substituted 20 minutes into the second half and reacted badly. After throwing pieces of strapping to the floor in a tantrum, the 24-year-old made straight for the tunnel while mumbling what one can only assume were rather unpleasant words about Carlo Ancelotti.
The fact of the matter is that Ozil had been withdrawn 56 times in his first three seasons in La Liga and he has never kicked up as much of a fuss before, suggesting that this time, he was riled.
Reported interest from Arsenal and – in particular – Manchester United sees him have legitimate options for a transfer and Madrid would stand to make a huge profit on their initial outlay, but would Los Blancos be able to find someone better for a similar price? Doubtful.
Ozil still has just under three years left on his current contract, so Madrid have plenty on time to ponder what they do next with the midfielder, but it is a two-way street. The player himself must meet them halfway.
Presuming he is still wanted and valued at Santiago Bernabeu, Ancelotti needs to put his foot down and tell Ozil he will need to accept that there will be rotation and starting every match is not a possibility.
It is a risk Madrid may just have to make, but they will be better off with him in the squad than without.
