Arsenal Transfer News: Mesut Ozil Eyed by Pep Guardiola, Latest on Adrien Rabiot

Bayern Munich are ready to launch an "audacious bid" to sign Mesut Ozil in January, reported by Paul Smith of the London Evening Standard, who believes the player is "unsettled" at Arsenal.

Ozil has endured a troubled run of form across the past year and is generally considered to be underperforming in Arsene Wenger's team.

The former Real Madrid playmaker made a positive impact upon arrival, thrusting the Gunners to the top of the Premier League last season. Neither Ozil nor his team maintained this form however, and have started the 2014-15 campaign with two wins in five matches.

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Pep Guardiola is said to be monitoring the player. "The German giants have kept a close watch on the attacking midfielder ever since Arsenal signed him from Real Madrid for a club record £42 million," writes Smith.

Ozil notched his first goal of the season during the recent 3-0 win over Aston Villa. He linked well with new signing Danny Welbeck and was praised by Wenger ahead of Arsenal's north London derby with Tottenham, per the club's official Twitter account:

Wenger's decision to move Ozil into his preferred central position aided the player's display against Villa. Ozil has proven for Werder Bremen, Madrid and Germany that his creativity behind the striker should be considered world-class, so it's fair to say consecutive matches out wide have limited his potential.

He could certainly compete with Mario Gotze at Bayern, but there may be greater obstacles to overcome if such a move is to go ahead.

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Bayern suffered a partial stadium closure in the Champions League after a portion of fans unveiled a homophobic banner which included a cartoon of Ozil, per Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail. He was constantly jeered throughout the Allianz Arena tie and doesn't appear to be popular among supporters of the German champions.

Although the move seems unlikely, Wenger isn't short of options in this area. The boss is also reportedly courting Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot, noted by the Daily Mail's Simon Jones, but this move is beginning to appear difficult.

Rabiot is said to be demanding £80,000 per week, having already rejected a weekly salary of £50,000 to stay at the Parc des Princes, per Alex Harris of the Daily Star. Rabiot and his mother, who acts as the player's agent, appear set on finding a lucrative contract wherever possible.

Harris believes Chelsea and Manchester United are interested, while Sky Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio indicates Juventus, Roma and Inter Milan are potential suitors. Wenger isn't one to overpay and will likely be troubled by Rabiot's salary needs, if they prove to be true.

The Arsenal manager will be hoping Ozil can put together a string of significant performances after his display in the midlands, lessening his need for another midfield signing. Supporters are sure to be frustrated by the player's inconsistency, but he has the potential to be key throughout the rest of the season.

Guardiola's interest appears misplaced right now—considering Ozil's lack of form and history with Bayern—but it wouldn't be beyond the Spanish manager to pluck the German away and immediately make full use of his talents.