A lot of Arsenal fans might want Arsene Wenger to bid goodbye to the club, but the manager still remains a big favourite with the players. While Jack Wilshere has said in the past that he might consider leaving Arsenal permanently if Wenger calls it a day, another one of the club's big playmakers has made a similar statement.
Arsenal to sign Italy international
Following Arsenal's good start to the season, much of the attention at the club turned to the contract renewals, or lack thereof, of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. While the talk over the new contracts has died down a little owing to the Gunners' recent struggles, doubts over Sanchez and Ozil, Arsenal's two most high-profile players, and their futures remain.
Both players have only 18 months remaining on their contracts and talks between their representatives have so far failed to yield an agreement. Sanchez and Ozil are reportedly asking for over £200,000 a week, a considerable increase from their current salaries.
While Arsenal now do not have too many financial issues to worry about, the English Premier League side are still reportedly reluctant to invest so much money on the two players.
Money might play a big role in the both Ozil and Sanchez signing a new contract, but as far as the German is concerned there is one other key factor in him staying long-term at Arsenal.
"The club knows that I am here most of all because of Arsene Wenger," Ozil told Kicker. "He is the one who signed me and he is the one whose trust I have.
"The club also knows that I want to be clear what the manager is going to [do in the future]."
Wenger's current contract expires at the end of the season and the manager has insisted he will make a decision based on how this campaign goes.
Ozil also said he is quite happy at Arsenal and would love to extend his stay. If Wenger decides the time is right to call time on his ridiculously-good managerial career at the club, the key for Arsenal will be to hire a manager of a stature that will make the likes of Ozil and Sanchez want to stay.
"I am very, very happy at Arsenal and have let the club know that I would be ready to sign a new contract," Ozil added. "The fans want that I stay and now it is just down to the club."
There might be a slight problem, though, if Arsenal end up hiring one of their legendary players in Thierry Henry, with Ozil not taking too kindly to some of the criticism that have come his and Sanchez's way over the contract negotiations. Henry has been one of those, with Arsenal's record goalscorer saying the two players are "holding Arsenal hostage" with their contract demands.
"Everyone has a right to say what they want but what they have to say doesn't interest me," Ozil said. "Ex-players or other people who have a view don't know what is actually being said between me and the club."
