Fresh twist in Ozil contract saga hands Arsenal major boost

Ross Gibson

Arsenal have been handed a major boost, after Gunners legend Alan Smith revealed he has sources suggesting Mesut Ozil is close to signing a new deal with the club.

Smith revealed that although it has been widely speculated that Ozil would make the move to Manchester United, he is in fact close to signing a new contract with the North London side.

Ozil will become a free agent in the summer, if the Gunners cannot tie the German international down to a new deal.

Amid the talk of Ozil leaving, Smith has spoken of how the club have been quietly going about ironing out a new contract.

“My sources tell me he is quite close to signing a new contract,” Smith told Premier League Daily. “We’ve not heard much on that and it sounds like negotiations have gone on behind the scenes and he will sign.

“He’s been a different player the last couple of months when he’s been fit. He’s really been putting in a shift, he looks energised, more enthusiasm than he did have and he looks the player that we all think he can be on a consistent basis.”

Smith did, however, reveal his concerns as to whether Ozil was only playing well in a bid to secure a new lucrative deal.

“If he does sign you just want him to continue that. You hope he is not playing in this fashion because he wants to win a new contract,” he added.

“He’s a top player and to lose Sanchez is bad enough but if you lost Ozil as well, that bit of creativity, it would almost be a mortal blow, a real kick in the teeth for Arsenal.”

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