Arsene Wenger insists contract talks with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are well under way

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal are in talks with both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil over new contracts.

Ozil and Sanchez, perhaps Arsenal's two most important players, are both out of contract at the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2018. Inevitably, the duo have been linked with moves elsewhere, with Ozil failing to rule out a return to Real Madrid and Sanchez remaining linked with a move to Manchester City.

Talks over new deals have reached an impasse with the Evening Standard claiming both players are looking for offers that will see them become two of the Premier League's top earners. The report suggest the Arsenal duo are looking for a deal similar to the £290,000 per week world record signing Paul Pogba currently earns at Manchester United.

When he shed little light on whether the club were close to an agreement with their players, Wenger insisted talks were firmly under way.

"I would like to say that the luxury in the modern game should be it is not only about the money. The players make good money anyway," Wenger told a press conference ahead of Tuesday's Champions League tie with Basel.

"You negotiate more with the agents than the player so we are in negotiations, of course it is normal."

Arsenal still have slim hope of finishing top of their Champions League group if they can beat the Swiss champions. Both the Gunners and Paris Saint-Germain are locked on 10 points in Group A with the Ligue 1 champions in action at home to Ludogorets on Tuesday night.

French midfielder Francis Coquelin is suspended for tomorrow's clash at St Jakob-Park. Olivier Giroud will be part of the squad having recovered from a groin injury, with Granit Xhaka likely to start in midfield against his former club.