Mesut Ozil says he won’t commit to Arsenal until he knows whether Arsene Wenger is staying at the club.
The German international is now into the final 18 months of his current contract but the club is keen to tie him down to a new, long-term deal.
It has been suggested that the former Real Madrid midfielder, who joined Arsenal in 2013, was asking for more money than the Gunners were prepared to offer.
But now the 28-year-old says the cash is not the issue. He instead claimed he will only decide his own future once that of manager Arsene Wenger is sorted out.
The Frenchman has been at the club for 20 years now. But his current contract expires this summer and it is not yet clear whether he will sign a new one.
“I want to be clear on what Wenger is doing,” Ozil told German football magazine Kicker.
“I feel very, very happy at Arsenal and have shown the club that I am prepared to extend my contract.
“The fans want me to stay. Now it’s just down to the club.”
But he said it all depends on the future of 67-year-old boss Wenger.
“The club knows that I am, above all, here because of Arsene Wenger – who signed me and whose trust I have.
“The club also knows that I just want to be clear on what the manager will do.”
