Arsene Wenger gives Mesut Ozil contract update following Arsenal win over Newcastle

Arsene Wenger is confident that Mesut Ozil will sign a new contract with Arsenal after the Germany international scored a brilliant volley to give his side a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday (16 December).

Ozil's future at the Emirates Stadium remains under major scrutiny with his contract set to expire at the end of the current season.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is said to be closely monitoring the situation while reports in Spain have claimed Barcelona have identified him as a potential alternative to Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

Reports had claimed United wanted to sign Ozil on a free transfer at the end of the season but this week Mourinho has suggested that United could bring forward their summer transfer plans to the upcoming January window if the right player become available.

Wenger however is confident that Ozil will turn down the overtures from other clubs and sign a new long-term deal at Arsenal.

"I'm confident, yes, but what does that mean? I don't know," Wenger replied in cryptically way asked whether Ozil will sign a new deal following Arsenal's 1-0 win over Newcastle.

Meanwhile, the Arsenal boss was full of praise for the playmaker after his superb goal helped the Gunners back to winning ways following recent setbacks against United, Southampton and West Ham United.

"It's superb, he can deliver that. It's important for him that he takes the risk to do what he did. Usually he is a guy who, 99 per cent of the time, in this position, he controls the ball and gives it to somebody else, so I'm pleased he took the gamble to finish and I'm happy as well that he scored a very important goal," Wenger said.

"You would think that today you are always very quickly under pressure as a football player. When you do not score for one or two games everyone asks why it hasn't happened. But if you look historically it happens every year. The finishing is a bit cyclic, sometimes you will score three or four, with every chance, and sometimes like today you will have six or seven chances and score only one. It's part of it, and you need to live with it. I'm know people are not happy with it, but it's part of the game."