Arsenal offer bumper pay rise to Mesut Ozil but contract talks remain stalled

Arsenal have reportedly offered Mesut Ozil a bumper pay rise on his current deal but the German playmaker has continued to stall on contract talks.

The Daily Mirror have reported that Arsenal have offered to double Mesut Ozil’s wages in order to convince the German international to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium. However, despite the massive offer on the table, Ozil is said to be holding out for more, putting his future in further doubt.

Ozil joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 for a club record £40 million. The then 24-year-old arrived at the Emirates Stadium with a burgeoning reputation of being the genuine world class talent that the Arsenal fans had been yearning for.

It has been nearly four years since the move and the German playmaker has been an integral figure in Arsene Wenger’s first team squad. Having forged a formidable attacking partnership with Alexis Sanchez, Ozil has also been one of the best players in the Premier League in recent seasons.

However, 2016/17 has seen Ozil struggle uncharacteristically for large parts of the season. Injuries and fatigue have played their part too, but the 28-year-old hasn’t been the creative force that he is since November.

Ozil has only recorded five goals and four assists in 22 Premier League games this season, and the numbers are significantly down as compared to the previous campaign, when he provided 19 assists in addition to six goals.

However, it is not just his performances on the field that have been a cause for concern for Wenger and the Arsenal faithfuls, as Ozil has been embroiled in a contract standoff for several months now, as per various reports.

Previous reports have claimed that Ozil has been holding out for wages of £250,000-per-week before committing on a new deal with the North London club. As a result, there had been little movement in agreeing to a renewal, and the German international was even linked with a move away from Arsenal.

The report by the Mirror states that Arsenal have improved on the figure that Ozil was asking for previously by offering a huge £280,000-a-week deal, which is a 100% hike on his current £140,000-a-week contract with the club.

However, Ozil is said to be holding out for a higher package, as he knows that he can earn even more money elsewhere. While the money currently on offer does not justify the player’s form, Arsenal may have to put a better offer on the table in order to keep hold of their prized asset.

There are now just 15 months left on his current deal with the club, and while Ozil’s agent, Dr Erkut Sogut has also previously insisted that his client is fully committed to the club, fears still remain on whether the star playmaker will extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium.