If Arsenal fans haven’t already pressed the panic button yet, this would be the right time to do so. With an injury crisis in defence and the transfers at the club seemingly at a standstill over the past two seasons, they have now been dealt another blow.
The club’s two biggest stars Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are yet to sign new deals with both their contracts expiring in around two years. Both players have been crucial to the success of the team and have been voted their best players in the last couple of seasons.
The Times have reported the following on the future of the two players:
“Arsenal will start the Premier League season with doubts surrounding the long-term futures of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sánchez after failing to agree new contracts with their two biggest stars over the summer,’ The Times report.
‘The club first began contract negotiations with both players’ representatives last September in the hope of tying them down to long-term deals, but no real progress has been made and the talks will not resume until after the transfer window closes at the end of the month”
To lose these two players would be catastrophic. The squad would be weakened to an extent that would put them in dire straits. When Ozil arrived 3 seasons ago, the whole team and the club were given a morale boost.
It felt like a player who would finally change the fortunes of the team and a step in the direction of progress. Sachez's arrival also had a similar effect with the club finishing in 3rd and fans getting the feeling of an emerging force that could take the league by storm.
The club did manage to win back-to-back FA Cups in that time period but two failed attempts at winning the league in the last 3 seasons after throwing it away from a position of strength have felt like deja vu.
Sanchez, Ozil used to winning titles
Both Ozil and Sanchez signed from teams that were used to success and lifting silverware on a regular basis. But for some reason, their combined presence and effort have not reaped the same rewards at Arsenal, like it did in their previous clubs.
Their frustration is understandable because the fans are also feeling the kind of confusing disappointment of being so close but falling short. This is probably Wenger’s last season, and if the Frenchman does resign from his post come end of the season the club might lose the last convincing voice that is keeping them at the club right now.
