Premier League: Arsene Wenger expects Mesut Ozil to remain at Arsenal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is still confident that Mesut Ozil will remain at Arsenal, despite the fact that the midfielder's contract runs out at the end of the season. If Ozil does not sign a new contract with Arsenal he will be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer next summer. Forward Alexis Sanchez is in the same situation and he was close to a move to Manchester City this summer but Arsene Wenger refused to let him go. Wenger insisted that his two stars will not leave the club during the January transfer window. "I believe he wants to stay, he is not to be convinced to sign a new contract," Wenger said about Mesut Ozil. "You want nobody to leave and you see where we stand on that. But at the moment, it's very difficult. Until the end of the season we know what it is, but after that, I cannot tell you." Mesut Ozil scored a superb goal last weekend to give Arsenal all three points against Newcastle. He joined the Gunners for 42.4 million pounds from Real Madrid in 2013 and scored 33 goals in 168 appearances in all competitions. Arsene Wenger was impressed with Ozil's performance against Newcastle and the manager believes that the German midfielder is playing his best football at the moment: "I think he takes responsibility and that's what you want from him. He is more mature, he guides the team very well, he does a lot on the ball and your heart rate always goes down when he has the ball. I would say more important is the quality and the influence he has on the collective game, rather than his goal. You cannot wait to score a goal like that every week, but you can play like he plays usually every week. That is more important. If he adds that to his game, it's even more important." Mesut Ozil is 9/4 at SkyBet to leave Arsenal during the upcoming transfer window in January but he is 1/3 to remain at the club.