Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Mauro Icardi and Mesut Ozil Rumours

Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, who was linked with a move to Arsenal throughout the summer, has expressed his desire to sign a new contract with his current club.

It was stated by Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia) during the summer the striker was set to stage talks with the Gunners about a possible transfer, while Napoli were also linked with the player. But after a lot of recent speculation, the forward seems keen to commit his future to the San Siro side.

“I talked with the club, and we have fixed everything,” he told Mediaset Premium (h/t Ben Spratt of Goal), having also revealed there is a deal in place to extend his stay at the club.

GIUSEPPE CACACE/Getty Images

Icardi also said he feels as though Inter can challenge for the Serie A title. “Juventus are the team to beat," he said. "In recent years, they have won everything. They have reinforced [in the transfer market], like us, so we will see how it ends. I always want to win, I do not like losing.”

As noted here by OptaPaolo, the Inter captain has an impressive goalscoring record in Serie A:

The Nerazzurri skipper has enjoyed a fine start to the 2016-17 season as well, with three goals already under his belt. Icardi netted twice against Pescara in the team’s most recent outing to secure three points.

Arsenal needed to land a striker in the summer to lend support to Olivier Giroud, eventually opting for Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Coruna. Icardi is a different type of player to the Spanish forward, doing his best work around the penalty area and latching onto the end of chances.

The Inter man seems committed to the cause at the San Siro now, though, and he is well on course for another prosperous campaign.

Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez Set for New Deals

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

According to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are set to begin talks with the club over new contracts.

The duo have just under three and two seasons left to run on their existing terms, respectively, although given just how important they both are to the cause, the Gunners will be desperate to ensure their long-term futures are at the Emirates Stadium.

“Ozil and Sanchez, we will start to talk for their extensions,” Wenger said ahead of Tuesday’s showdown with Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, per James Gray of the Daily Express.

FRANCK FIFE/Getty Images

That’s positive news for Arsenal fans, who will have been growing a little concerned about the status of both players. After all, Sanchez and Ozil possess the talent to make it into the best teams in European football, so it’s vital the Gunners have their assets protected.

It’s imperative the duo are on the same page as the rest of the squad, as Arsenal go in search of an overdue Premier League title. Ozil, in particular, as these figures from OptaJoe illustrate, is the architect behind the Gunners’ attacking play:

There haven’t been strong reports linking either player with a move away lately. Earlier in the year John Cross of the Daily Mirror suggested Bayern Munich were looking at Sanchez, while Luis F. Rojo of Marca reported in February that Barcelona were considering a move for Ozil.

Even so, keeping such key players content on long-term contracts is crucial for any team seeking to challenge for the biggest honours. Wenger will be hopeful of getting these deals secured as soon as possible.