Football
Mattias Karen, Arsenal correspondent 7y

Mesut Ozil wants to remain at Arsenal and Alexis Sanchez to stay too

Mesut Ozil says he wants to stay at Arsenal -- and is hoping Alexis Sanchez will as well.

Ozil told reporters at Arsenal's kit launch in Australia that his "preference" is still to remain at the club, but that talks are not due to resume until after the team's preseason tour is over.

But the Germany international admitted that he does not know whether Sanchez intends to stay with Arsenal, saying it would "hit the team quite hard if he left."

"It is definitely my preference to stay," Ozil was quoted as saying at the launch of Puma's new grey-and-pink third kit. "It is such a great club and I have always said that I feel very good at Arsenal.

"Once everyone is back in London we will sit down and discuss about the future. For now the most important thing is our preseason and getting through the tour, training and getting fitness. When I'm back in London, we will sit down and discuss."

Ozil and Sanchez are both set to enter the final year of their contracts, and have so far resisted signing new long-term deals reportedly worth in excess of £250,000 a week.

Of the two, Sanchez has always looked more likely to leave this summer, although Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted he will not be sold.

"It would hit the team quite hard if he left because he's a player who always delivers," Ozil said. "It would be a setback to winning the title, but in the end it's the player's decision. I hope Alexis stays but I don't know what the status is, to be honest.

"I value him a lot as a player and he's very well suited to the game Arsenal play. From a personal view I'd really appreciate if he stays, but it's the player's decision after all and there's not much more I can comment on that."

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