Mesut Ozil reveals contract talks with Arsenal are on hold

Mesut Ozil has revealed that his contract talks with Arsenal have been put on hold until the summer.

The World Cup winner will see his current deal expire in the summer of 2018 and there has been much speculation over his future.

Arsenal want the German to remain at the club but may be forced to sell him this summer if they are unable to get him to agree to fresh terms.

Ozil has now revealed there will be no progress on any new deal before the end of the season.

‘At the moment what is important is Arsenal, not me or any other players,’ Ozil told Sky Sports.

‘The team are having a more difficult spell and at this stage I am not important, no other player is important – what is important is the club.

‘We will talk in the summer and clear things then. At the moment it would be wrong to think about that.’

Ozil is not the only player who will see his contract expire in 2018, with Alexis Sanchez’s deal also nearing its end as is those of Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger meanwhile will see his contract expire this summer. Many fans have been urging the Frenchman to call time on his two decade spell with the Gunners but Ozil has demanded they show respect.

‘I always said he was the most important factor in me coming here,’ he said.

‘He has been here for 20 years and has given a lot to this club and I think he deserves respect for what he has achieved here.’