Rio Ferdinand and Ian Wright joke that Arsenal pair Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil will be secretly asking each other what contract offer they want

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Rio Ferdinand and Ian Wright have jokingly suggested that Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil will be secretly consulting each other on what contract they want to be offered by Arsenal.

Sanchez and Ozil starred in Arsenal's 4-1 thumping of Basle in Switzerland on Tuesday night, with each of them providing assists for Lucas Perez and Alex Iwobi.

Combined they have scored 21 goals in 40 games this season with a total of 11 assists.

Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez again starred as Arsenal thrashed Basle 4-1 away

Arsenal legend Ian Wright said both players need to be tied to new deals soon

The Gunners are under pressure to offer the pair new contracts with their current deals due to expire in 2018.

Sportsmail understands Sanchez has plans to use a £400,000-per-week offer from China as a way to get Arsenal to reward him with a bumper new deal.

And Wright, who was joined by Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard as part of BT Sport's Champions League coverage, believes both players have a lot of bargaining power.

'I think they are in unbelievable positions the pair of them,' he told BT Sport. 'I bet they're probably talking to each other...' '"What are you going to get?"' added Ferdinand. 

Wright replied: 'Well... "what you going to do... hold out?" Because the longer they hold out...[the more they will get]' 

Rio Ferdinand suggested that both may well be asking each other 'what are you going to get?'

Wright and Ferdinand were joined by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard on Tuesday

It is understood that Sanchez plans to use a £400,000-per-week offer from China to get Arsenal to reward him with a new deal

Ferdinand added that Arsenal must offer them new contracts if they are serious about winning trophies and keeping hold of two of their prized assets.

'Eighteen months left on the contract,' he added. 'If Arsenal were thinking about challenging for any type of silverware they've got to sign them on.'  

The former Manchester United defender also urged the Arsenal hierarchy including manager Arsene Wenger and owner Stan Kroenke to finalise new deals with the players soon.

He said: 'This tells you though... Arsenal have to get these two signed up. There are contract talks they are talking about here.'

Sanchez provided the assist for Lucas Perez's third goal of the evening in Switzerland