Mesut Ozil Says He's Open to New Arsenal Contract

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has revealed he remains "open" to signing a new long-term contract at the club.

With just over a year remaining on his deal, speculation has gathered pace that Ozil may be on his way out, especially with manager Arsene Wenger's own contract set to expire at the end of the campaign. But the German playmaker told Bild am Sonntag that negotiations are ongoing (h/t ESPN).

"Everything is still open," Ozil said. "There have been talks with Arsenal, but at the moment I'm concentrating on the current season, just like the officials at Arsenal."

Ozil also said "it would be wrong to say that my future is dependent on the coach," having expressed his admiration for Wenger. The 28-year-old outlined his desire to win the UEFA Champions League, something he said he'd like to accomplish "ideally with Arsenal."

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According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, fears have been growing at the Emirates Stadium in recent weeks that Ozil and team-mate Alexis Sanchez, whose contract also runs out in 2018, could be on their way out of the club, with no progress made over extensions.

As these numbers from OptaJoe illustrate, the duo have been the key attacking players at the Emirates for some time:

While Sanchez's stock has soared this season after excelling at the point of the Arsenal attack, Ozil's reputation has taken a bit of a battering in recent weeks.

Earlier in the season, the German was in fine goalscoring form, netting a hat-trick against Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League. However, he's struggled to exert himself in the biggest games for the Gunners, turning in particularly poor displays in losses away at Everton, Manchester City, Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

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As this graphic from WhoScored.com suggests, this season Ozil hasn't been quite as effective as usual in the final third:

Despite the criticism that's come his way in recent weeks, the German is a wonderful footballer who takes Arsenal to a different level when he's purring.

Ozil's composure in possession, technical ability and vision make him a special player when he's in the mood. While he has his weaknesses and could perhaps do a little more in the key fixtures, keeping him at the club for the long term would give everyone at the Emirates a big boost.

However, based on his quotes, it doesn't seem as though a deal for the German playmaker is imminent. Ozil, evidently, is fiercely ambitious too. With that in mind, everyone at Arsenal must pull together to ensure they're involved in the Champions League next season and give the likes of Ozil a reason to commit.