Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil remains determined to stay at the club despite reports linking him with a move to MLS side D.C. United.
The Gunners had been open to the idea of offloading the German in the summer transfer window as they seek to lower their wage bill, with Ozil the highest-paid player at the club on £350k per week.
And there remains the opportunity for Ozil to be moved on, with the transfer window still open for many foreign clubs despite Premier League sides no longer being able to bring in new players.
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The Washington Post had suggested that D.C. United were looking to sign Ozil, seemingly as a direct replacement for Wayne Rooney - who will leave MLS in January 2020 to join Derby County in a player-coach role.
But sources have told Goal that the midfielder is keen to stay put with the north Londoners and that he does not want to leave now, or in the new year.
That said, he is potentially evaluating his options, with his agent, Dr. Erkut Sogut, due to travel to Washington.
The trip to the States will primarily focus on discussions over the opening of one of Ozil's coffee outlets at D.C. United's Audi Field stadium, although there is, of course, the potential for talks over a switch to MLS as well.
Despite the rumours of an exit, Ozil remains in a strong position at Arsenal, where he has a contract until 2021.
He was heavily rotated during the 2018-19 campaign, however, and with Unai Emery having added Dani Ceballos to his squad over the summer, there's the potential for Ozil to again have to settle for a rotational role at the club.
Despite being left out at times, the playmaker has remained committed to the Gunners cause and has a good relationship with Emery, despite various issues upon the former Paris Saint-Germain head coach's arrival in England.
Ozil is also happy and settled in London, with the carjacking ordeal that saw the German and Sead Kolasinac attacked by armed assailants not putting off the 30-year-old from wanting to live in the capital.
Arsenal get their Premier League campaign underway with an away fixture against Newcastle United on August 11 before a home meeting with Burnley on August 17.
Former Real Madrid star Ozil will be pushing for a start in both those matches having featured from the start in the Gunners' final pre-season match, a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona at Camp Nou.
And he remains determined to stay put at Arsenal for the long-term, despite the north Londoners being open to a sale and the media reports linking him with a switch abroad.