- Arsenal target Xavi Simons can only leave PSG for a hefty fee
- Youssouf Fofana speaks out on future amid Arsenal interest
- Arsenal in battle to sign £55m Marc Guehi this summer
- Arsenal to reignite interest in signing Dusan Vlahovic
- Liverpool join Arsenal in race for ambitious Nico Williams
- Arsenal in battle to sign Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella
- Arsenal register interest in signing Inter Milan star Thuram
- Ivan Toney to Arsenal receives massive boost as Brentford identify replacement
- Arsenal target Bruno Guimaraes drops intriguing hint on future
- Confirmed line-ups: Tottenham vs Arsenal: Partey starts for Gunners
Arsenal Open Contract Talks With Defender
Arsenal have opened talks with Per Mertesacker over a new long-term contract and are confident he’ll commit his future to the club, according to reports today.
The 29-year-old has 18 months left on his current deal – worth around £65,000-a-week – and Arsene Wenger is believed to be desperate to tie him down to fresh terms.
The Daily Mail claim that the clubs hierarchy have already opened initial talks with Per’s representatives over a new four-year deal that would include a sizable pay rise.
Discussions are understood to be going well with the club confident the centre-back will sign on the dotted line before the New Year.
The giant German has been rock-solid over the past 12 months and has forged an excellent partnership with Laurent Koscielny at the heart of our defence.
Mertesacker comes under unfair criticism due to his lack of pace but he more than makes up for it with intelligent position play and his excellent reading of the game. As has been pointed out on many occasions, you don’t win over 100 caps for the German national team if you’re a bad player.
I hope Per does sign a new deal soon as he’s been key to our success so far this season and we don’t need any uncertainty over his future going into the second half of the campaign.
Do you think Mertesacker deserves a new deal?