Arsenal fear having to subsidise Ozil’s wages if he leaves – costing cash-strapped club millions as Inter eye transfer
The Gunners are struggling to offload the playmaker who earns a staggering £350,000-a-week
ARSENAL are worried they will have to pay some of Mesut Ozil's wages in order to loan him out this January, according to reports.
It is clear the playmaker is not a key figure in Unai Emery's plans at the Emirates but his high salary could prove a stumbling block.
According to the Mirror, Arsenal fear no clubs will be able to pay the full £350,000 a week he is currently earning and therefore must subsidise any loan, potentially costing them millions.
Inter Milan have been linked with a move for the German, 30, and may offer him an escape route.
Juventus have also reportedly been offered Ozil as they try and try and raise the cash to sign Barcelona's Denis Suarez.
Ideally for Arsenal, they would sell the under-performing star and therefore can strike him off the wage bill and also receive a transfer fee.
Arsenal are unable to make any purchases this month as things stand due to the lack of available funds.
It means they are currently reliant on bringing in players on loan this month as they look to try and force themselves back into the top four.
Plenty of supporters want a new defender brought in to the Emirates after shipping 32 goals in the Premier League this season.
And going forward, with Ozil potentially on his way out, Aaron Ramsey set to leave for Juventus and Henrikh Mkhitaryan injured, there is certainly a need for a creative No10 in North London.
The Gunners are eyeing James Rodriguez in a loan deal worth just £3million.
Colombia's star man is approaching the end of his two-year loan at Bayern Munich from Real Madrid but has fallen out of favour with the Bundesliga giants, potentially paving the way for Arsenal to swoop.
The other option, of course, is Emery to reintroduce Ozil to the team and not allow him to leave.
He has shown flashes of quality this season - most notably in the second half against Leicester - but has lacked any consistency.
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His last appearance for the Gunners was back on Boxing Day when he got dragged off at half-time against Brighton.
Emery left him out of the squad to face West Ham on Saturday as his side limped to a poor 1-0 defeat thanks to Declan Rice's goal.
Arsenal were crying out for a creative spark and a link-man between the midfield and the attack - Ozil could have been that man but is clearly not doing enough to convince Emery of that.
Emery is turning Arsenal into a mediocre side while superstars Ozil and Torreira are being wasted
By JOSHUA JONES
SURPRISE, surprise there was no Mesut Ozil or Lucas Torreira for Arsenal and surprise, surprise there was once again no cutting edge at the London Stadium.
It was another case of a lethargic opening 45 minutes and things did not get much better after half-time.
Declan Rice’s first West Ham goal - just two days before his 20th birthday - settled this lacklustre game with a neat finish.
Felipe Anderson did well but Arsenal failed to get rid and the young midfielder punished them.
And there was no way back as Arsenal look set to fall further behind the top four later on this weekend.
Their fans have had to get used to slow starts under Unai Emery - who is not doing himself any favours with his team selections, it has to be said.