Mesut Ozil Nearing Arsenal Winter Exit as Gunners 'Try to Find January Buyer'

Arsenal are reportedly preparing to "find a buyer" for midfielder Mesut Ozil during the January transfer window, but the club are said to hold concerns over the lack of interest in their star. 

The Mirror's John Cross reported Inter Milan's public statement of interest in the player has led the Gunners to sound out other potential suitors, a call that appears to have received little response thus far.

Arsenal have tabled a £275,00-per-week contract the player—who is believed to be seeking a salary of £350,000 per week—is yet to sign.

Cross referred to manager Arsene Wenger's previous suggestions that Ozil may have to be sold in January rather than be allowed to leave for nothing in the summer.

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown appeared on BT Sport (h/t Goal's Chris Burton) and said a January exit now looks like the only option:

Ozil's transfer saga raged through the summer and has continued during a disappointing start to the 2017-18 season. Cross noted it was around the time of the Germany international's introduction at Vicarage Road on Saturday that Arsenal allowed Watford back into the game and eventually lost 2-1.

The north London outfit have been performing well of late without the likes of Ozil and fellow contract rebel Alexis Sanchez starting, advancing in the Carabao Cup and winning both their UEFA Europa League group matches thus far.

The Gunners travelled to Watford chasing a sixth successive domestic clean sheet, a feat they haven't achieved since the 1998-99 season, per AllArsenal.com's Daniel Damian.

It wasn't until 10 minutes after Ozil's 61st-minute substitution that they conceded a Troy Deeney penalty, before Tom Cleverley scored a late winner.

However, the Mirror's Alex Richards argued it isn't players such as Ozil or Sanchez who are at the heart of Arsenal's troubles, arguing it to be an issue of "fear" around the club in general:

Inter could come in for Ozil in January and have shown the capacity to spend big sums in recent years.

Keown also appeared on BBC 5 live Sport earlier in October and shared his views on why Arsenal would be better off cashing in on Ozil this winter:

The former Real Madrid man arrived at the Emirates Stadium in 2013 for a then-club record sum of £42.5 million, but his contract war appears to be having an impact on him and the club.

The issue for Arsenal will be recouping as much of that fee as possible, and with Ozil's salary expectations so high, there's a good chance he'll be happy to see out the rest of his deal before a free move next summer.