Mesut Özil wants superstar wages from Arsenal, but who else really wants him? | David Hytner


The German’s contract standoff with Arsenal has echoes of Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie – until you count the big clubs currently interested in signing him

Arsène Wenger was asked about the Mesut Özil contract issue after Arsenal’s 3-2 home win over Swansea City last October. It was not the first time that the manager had been pressed on it and, goodness knows, it would not be the last. Type “Özil” and “contract” into an online newspaper archive and, at the time of writing, it brings up 4,117 hits from the British national press over the past year. “I don’t think Mesut needs convincing to stay,” Wenger said, back then. “He wants to stay here. If you have a good bank, call me.”

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