Ozil and Wilshere set to stay

ARSENE WENGER has moved to soften the blow of losing Alexis Sanchez by revealing he is increasingly optimistic Mesut Ozil will stay at Arsenal.

The Frenchman has finally admitted defeat in his battle to keep Sanchez at the Emirates but his confidence that the Gunners’ other marquee player will finally put pen to paper comes as a timely boost. World Cup-winning Germany playmaker Ozil, right, is out with a minor knee injury but Wenger still believes he will commit his future to Arsenal – along with Jack Wilshere – to ensure a complete rebuilding job is unnecessary. “It looks like Sanchez will not extend his contract,” said Wenger, who was unable to talk with much certainty about his own position at the club. “But we want to keep Jack and if we have an opportunity maybe to keep Ozil

the rebuild will be less deep than if all three left. There is still an opportunity for him to stay.

“Talks are very much still alive. Am I more optimistic than in the summer? Yes. He’s won trophies with us. So he wants to fight as well for the Premier League. These guys want to make money but they want to win trophies as well, so it is a combination of things.”

Wenger wants to bring in either Bordeaux’s Malcom or Thomas Lemar of Monaco before he can sanction a deal to sell Sanchez.

Asked if Sanchez will stay in January if a replacement is not brought in, Wenger replied: “You sum it up very well. Alexis is an exceptional football player, he’s a world-class player and if he leaves we have to find a different balance in the team.”

Wenger was criticised heavily after Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Sunday.

He insisted he will honour the remaining year and a half left on his contract but gave a less than convincing answer when asked whether anything has changed in the minds of club bosses.

“I don’t know, my problem is Bournemouth on Sunday,” he said.

“I am always committed. I am here for 21 years. So I just do everything right for the club.

“If I had stayed for one year or 10 it would be just the same. You can only do your best. Did I ever walk away? Never. Why should I change?”