Man Utd target Gotze rated 'better' than Ozil

Manchester United target Mario Gotze is considered to be better than Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil, according to German legend Bernd Schneider.

The Borussia Dortmund starlet is attracting a great deal of attention from clubs around the continent even as the German side insist they will hold onto the youngster for as long as possible.

Gotze has shown he is capable of being a future European talent at the young age of 19,

Real Madrid, Arsenal and Juventus all being linked with Gotze, while United are desperate to fill the midfield role that was left by Paul Scholes when he retired.

Wesley Sneijder was high on Sir Alex Ferguson's transfer priority list for last summer, but the Inter Milan playmaker's wages were said to be a stumbling block.

With United looking for a cheaper option, Gotze fits the bill perfectly because of his age and potential with his price of £20 million much more affordable than Sneijder's £35 million price tag.

Former Germany midfielder Schneider, who has 81 caps for the national side and has made over 250 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, believes that Ozil has been surpassed by the youngster because of his raw talent and skill with the ball.

"I personally find Gotze better," Schneider told Bild when asked to compare him to Ozil. "The lad is more versatile. He is also maybe a little better on the ball than Mesut."

Ozil has been a superstar for both Germany and Real Madrid, and was a member of Germany's 2010 World Cup side.

Gotze has also shone for the international side too, becoming the joint youngest goal scorer for Germany in the post-war era, when he netted the ball against Brazil in August, at 19 years and 68 days old.