Arsene Wenger is keen to avoid another situation where Arsenal risk losing two of their best players for nothing and has opened contract talks with Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck.
The Gunners have allowed several first-team players to run down their deals, with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez both expected to leave the club in the summer when their contracts expire.
In just three weeks, both players – as well as Jack Wilshere – will be allowed to begin negotiating pre-contract agreements with clubs outside of England.
But The Telegraph report that Wenger has already held provisional talks with Ramsey and Welbeck in an effort to avoid the same problem arising this time next year.
The two players – who have been in good form this season, despite injury to the latter – will be out of contract in June 2019 and Wenger is confident he can convince them to extend their deals.
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But, surprisingly, Arsenal are yet to begin discussions with either Theo Walcott or Petr Cech over new deals, with the duo also both out of contract in 18 months.
Walcott is one of the highest earners at the club and would have a long list of suitors if he was available on a free, while Wenger is believed to be willing to stall on Cech, who is 35 years old.
Both parties are relaxed about the Czech goalkeeper’s current situation, and he is only expected to sign a one-year extension anyway.
In the meantime, Arsenal’s most pressing concern in Ozil and Sanchez, and there is still hope at the club that they can be persuaded to stay, though no offer has been tabled to extend Wilshere’s contract.
Ozil has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer, while Barcelona have also been muted as a potential destination, and Sanchez is expected to sign for Manchester City.
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