Arsenal forced to spend big as star man demands £200,000-a-week contract

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has jokingly asked for advice on a good bank as the club plot a way to secure Mesut Ozil’s long-term future.

The German international’s current deal runs until 2018, and so the Gunners will naturally be keen to tie him down to a longer contract but that will come with a salary increase.

According to The Mirror, Ozil has asked for a contract in excess of £200,000-a-week, and so it will force Arsenal to shatter their current wage structure to satisfy his demands.

While Wenger has insisted that the 28-year-old doesn’t need convincing about staying at the Emirates, he did concede that ultimately they need to show their ambition and prove to their top stars that they are ready to compete for the Premier League title consistently.

Having finished in second place last season, Arsenal have made a strong start this time round and currently sit level with Manchester City at the top after eight games, but it remains to be seen if progress is made in talks with Ozil.

“I don’t think he needs convincing. He wants to stay here. But if you have a good bank, call me,” he said, as reported by The Mirror.

“It’s not just money. Arsenal can win titles of course. But that’s what we have to show. We are in a League where Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea everybody fights and you cannot guarantee that to anybody.

“We keep that (negotiations) discreet. At due time we will come out with that. We want to keep our best players, of course. But the more I say that, the more he is in a stronger position!”

The report goes on to add that Arsenal will also look to tie up deals for both Alexis Sanchez and Hector Bellerin, with Wenger hoping to dismiss all off-the-field distractions for his players and keep important pieces of his squad in place for years to come.

The Gunners are currently on a six-game winning streak across all competitions, and are undefeated since the opening weekend of the season as they continue to build some early momentum this year.

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