Arsenal star Mesut Ozil is reportedly willing to step back in his demands for a new contract after interest in his services failed to gather momentum this term. Meanwhile, the Gunners are front-runners to signOguzhan Ozyakup, according to one of the club's scouts.Ozil has endured a rocky season at the Emirates Stadium as he prepares to enter the final year of his Arsenal contract, and MailOnline's Sami Mokbel reported that performance drop-off will see the German relent in his deal demands.According to Mokbel, Ozil has been offered a new 250,000-per-week contractalmost twice as valuable as his current 140,000-per-week contractbut has so far refused to put pen to paper on an extension.What's more, it's said Arsenal "were expecting to receive a number of big-money offers for Ozil" but that the desired level of interest simply hasn't been reached. Squawka's Greg Johnson noted the playmaker's decline in form this season:Ozil's campaign started in bright fashion, as the Gunners made an early run at the Premier League summit, but those standards have slipped, and he has netted just one of his six league goals this term in his past 11 outings.The 28-year-old is regarded as one of Arsenal's most valuable stars alongside fellow contract rebel Alexis Sanchez, and manager Arsene Wenger recently outlined the importance of the former penning a new contract, per the Press Association:With his contract set to expire in the summer of 2018, Arsenal risk losing Ozil for far less than his value if they fail to sell him or agree an extension in the coming months, meaning the pressure is on in north London.Furthermore, Ozil recently told Sky Sports (h/t BBC Sport) he won't discuss his future at the club until the end of the season, by which time more interest in his signature could have developeddepending on his performances until then:At the moment what is important is Arsenal, not me or any other players. The team are having a more difficult spell and at this stage I am not important, no other player is importantwhat is important is the club.We will talk in the summer and clear things then. At the moment it would be wrong to think about that.Elsewhere, former Gunners academy memberOzyakup is back on the Gunners' radar, and they may need to fend off interest from Premier League peers Manchester United if they're to win back his loyalties.That's according to Emre Sarigul of Turkish-Football, who also provided quotes from Gunners scout Jurgen Kost after he spoke on Arsenal's bid to re-sign the central midfielder from Besiktas: "Ozyakup is a player of the highest standard. We have been closely tracking his progress, and when we do our next search for players in his position, he could return to Arsenal.Sarigul also gave an update onOzyakup's transfer value, which is a great deal more than the reported 500,000 (420,000) they charged the Turkish club for his signature back in 2012:Ozyakup spent four years in the Arsenal academy after moving to north London from Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar in 2008, but it's in the Super Ligwhere the box-to-box figure has risen to prominence.Arsenal would be getting their hands on a much more polished product than the one they sold if they win the race, although United's lingering gaze may mean Wenger is in for a battle to lure him back to England.
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