Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Arsenal have opened talks with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla over contract extensions.
Though the Gunners’ priority remains agreeing new terms with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez there are a host of other key names whose contracts are set to expire in 2018, including Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere.
Wenger has already confirmed that the latter, currently out on loan at Bournemouth, will be offered an extension in the new year and the club are also keen to get key squad players tied down in the coming months.
“We work as well on Giroud and on many players,” he said. “There are six or seven cases at the moment but that is the usual case, it is every year like that.
In Pictures | FC Basel vs Arsenal | 6/12/2016
“We have started talking to Oxlade-Chamberlain, we’ve started with Santi as well and will certainly extend with him. We will work with Giroud as well and on many players.
“That explains to you why we have a lot of work to do, but you are only interested in two cases.”
Arsenal have an option on Cazorla’s contract, which expires next summer, that will allow them to extend the deal by one year.
The Spaniard, who turns 32 next week, is currently sidelined after surgery on his Achilles but hopes to return in February.
