Arsenal Transfer News: Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil in 6-Man Contract Rumours

Arsenal are to reportedly keep Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Per Mertesacker waiting for new contracts as they seek to secure the futures of Alex Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

According to Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph, there is uncertainty as to whether Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gibbs will be offered new deals at the club; the former is out on loan at AFC Bournemouth, while the latter two are far from secured in the first team. All three players have just under two years left on their deals.

Sanchez and Ozil, who also have contracts that run until the summer of 2018, are to be offered new deals, it’s suggested. However, Wilson added that the Gunners attempted to extend the pair's stay over the summer and “little progress has been made.” Getting both to commit is said to be “Arsenal's main transfer-related priority before Christmas.”

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According to ESPN FC's Peter O'Rourke, the Gunners are confident Ozil will extend his stay but not convinced about Sanchez. The Chilean is said to want a release clause inserted into the deal as well as a big pay rise.

Mertesacker’s current terms at the Emirates Stadium expire next summer, and Wilson suggested the club will look at the situation in closer detail later in the campaign.

For the English trio, their futures could lie away from Arsenal. After all, Wilshere has been ravaged by injury problems and sent out on loan to try to get some minutes under his belt. However, after Arsenal signed a left-sided box-to-box midfielder in Granit Xhaka, you wonder quite where he fits into the squad at the moment.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is another player who has yet to kick on after showing early potential. Indeed, according to Bleacher Report’s Dean Jones, he needs to prove himself to get an extension:

As for Gibbs, he’s fallen a long way behind Nacho Monreal in the battle to start at left-back, with the Spain international emerging as one of the steadiest defenders in the Premier League in 2015-16. Given he’s 26 years old and should be in the peak years of his career, Gibbs is another player who could benefit from a move.

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Obviously, Arsenal fans would not want to see Ozil or Sanchez depart. The former, in particular, has grown into his role at the club and pulls the strings of the Gunners' attacking forays with his tremendous ingenuity on the ball.

While Ozil elegantly unpicks defences, Sanchez bombastically barges through them. The Chile star has added a raw edge to Arsenal’s play since joining from Barcelona in 2014 and has made many vital contributions in the final third. As noted by Squawka Football, he’s been impressive on the biggest stage lately:

Mertesacker’s situation is intriguing too. Arsenal moved to sign Shkodran Mustafi in the summer window, and he looks set to be the long-term partner for Laurent Koscielny in defence. Given he turns 32 later this month, perhaps the veteran German may see this summer as the time to embark on a new challenge.

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However, sports journalist Cristian Nyari believes keeping Mertesacker would give Arsenal the best defensive options in the Premier League:

It’s vital Arsenal keep Sanchez and Ozil at the club more than any player aforementioned. While the squad Wenger assembled is bursting with brilliant talent, those two are genuine game-changers. Should either move on, finding a replacement anywhere in world football would be an almighty challenge.

As for Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gibbs, there’s plenty to be done if they’re to earn new contracts. Five years ago, they were considered to be key English building blocks for an exciting future for Arsenal, but they’re looking more and more dispensable as the weeks tick by.