Mesut Ozil set to turn down new contract at Arsenal and 'leave for free' in the summer

Arsenal could lose Mesut Ozil for free at the end of the season, with the Germany international reportedly set to walk away from the Emirates Stadium once his deal expires at the end of the season.

The Gunners' chief executive Ivan Gazidis said retaining Ozil and Alexis Sanchez at the club during the transfer window was "a clear statement" of the club's ambitions, but the duo could have entered their final season in north London.

Arsenal have largely accepted Sanchez will leave next summer after his move to Manchester City collapsed on deadline day having declined to sign a new deal and, according to German newspaper SportBild, there are now fears Ozil could follow him out of the door.

Arsenal reportedly offered the 28-year-old a new deal back in February. However, negotiations were quickly put on hold amid the uncertainty surrounding Arsene Wenger's future.

The Frenchman eventually penned a two-year extension to remain in north London but negotiations over Ozil's contract have not yet resumed and SportBild suggested he has already made up his mind. Should Wenger fail to change Ozil's mind, the German, who moved to Arsenal for £42m from Real Madrid four years ago, will be free to sign a pre-contract with a foreign club from 1 January.

Earlier this year, Wenger said he was not worried by Ozil entering the final 12 months of his contract.

"I think in the future you will see it more and more," the Arsenal manager said. "Why? Because the transfers are so high even for normal players, you will see more and more players going into the final year of the contract. No club will want to pay the amount demanded. I'm convinced in the next ten years it will become usual."

However, Wenger was adamant the rumours surrounding Ozil's future will not affect his performances.

"When you're a football player you perform until the last day of your contract," he explained.

"Whether you have two or one year left it doesn't change. You want to play and do well. Do you really think they sit in the dressing room and think, 'Oh, I have one year to go I will not play well today'.

"Where does that come from? When you are a football player you want to play well, what does that have to do with the length of your contract. It's amazing."

Last week, the former Real playmaker hit back at widespread criticism of his side's performances in the Premier League by urging former Arsenal players to "stop talking and start supporting".

The Gunners were lambasted following consecutive away defeats against Stoke City and Liverpool but Ozil argued fierce criticism was unlikely to help.

"Personally I've had to accept a lot of criticism during my time in London," he wrote in a Facebook post. 'Too expensive, too greedy, bad body language, and lacking fight' – this is what people have said about me.

"Some of these comments are made by those who do not know me, some are made by former players – both successful and unsuccessful during their time here at the club.

"Although criticism is something that all football players have to deal with, I nevertheless expected legends to behave like legends – my advice to these former Gunners: stop talking and start supporting!"