Arsenal ready to make Mesut Ozil the club’s first £200,000-per-week player

By Sami Mokbel

• Arsenal have started contract negotiations with playmaker Mesut Ozil
• Gunners prepared to make German their first £200,000-per-week player
• Arsene Wenger devastated after Danny Welbeck ruled out for nine months 

Arsenal are prepared to make Mesut Ozil the club’s first £200,000-per-week player.

Talks over a new contract for the Germany international are under way and both parties expect a positive resolution.

Arsene Wenger believes the 27-year-old will be vital to the club’s future and Sportsmail understands Ozil’s new deal will be worth — inclusive of add-ons and bonuses — a staggering £200,000 a week.

Ozil, who is top of the Premier League assists’ chart with 18, currently earns £140,000 per week and has two years left to run on his existing contract.

Meanwhile, Wenger has spoken of his frustration after Danny Welbeck was ruled out for nine months with knee-cartilage damage.

The Arsenal striker had surgery on Wednesday after suffering the injury in last Sunday’s clash at Manchester City.

‘We’re all devastated, and Danny even more so,’ he said.

‘It was from an anonymous tackle. The difference between the tackle and the severity of the injury is baffling.

‘We don’t understand that, but we have to accept the verdict and we have to live with it.’

‘Danny has to deal with it unfortunately. We just have to give him the maximum support we can and show him that we trust he can come back.’ Daily Mail