Operation Mesut Ozil: After losing Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal now face fight to keep darling of the fans... so, will he get the £300,000 a week he's demanding - or slip away for free?

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Losing Alexis Sanchez is one thing —but losing Mesut Ozil would be something else entirely.

Sanchez had thrown the towel in and made it clear he saw no future at Arsenal.

The Gunners had no option but to sell the Chilean, not just for financial reasons, but to improve harmony in a squad that was sick to the back teeth of Sanchez's training ground tantrums.

'Good vibes, good day, good life': Mesut Ozil uploaded this selfie to Instagram on Thursday - but does his positive outlook extend to a future at Arsenal? 

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil could leave the club as a free agent when his deal expires this summer

Ozil has rediscovered his best form on the pitch this season, and impressed against Chelsea

However, the landscape is rather different with regards to Ozil. He isn't agitating to leave, he's popular at the training ground and — more pertinently — he has rediscovered his best form on the pitch.

If at the start of the season you had asked Arsenal supporters who they'd prefer to keep — Sanchez or Ozil — the vast majority would have answered the former.

In the weeks and months leading to Sanchez's move to Manchester United, the tide of opinion had changed. Ozil is now the darling of the Emirates.

The question is: can Arsenal realistically keep him at the club beyond the summer when his contract expires? 

Alexis Sanchez waved goodbye to Arsenal this month, joining arch rivals Manchester United

The Chilean has become the Premier League's highest-earning player at Man United

There is certainly some optimism that a deal to keep Ozil can be agreed. 

As revealed by Sportsmail in December, the club has launched one final effort to get Ozil to sign a new contract at the Emirates. 

So far, Arsenal have resisted any temptation to meet the Germany international's attempts to secure a new deal worth £300,000 a week.

It remains a game of poker, neither party wanting to blink first. But Ozil's advisers have intimated to Arsenal that there's a willingness to sign a new contract.

That wasn't always the case last season when talks had broken down. So progress has been made. 

Ozil wants £300,000 a week at the Emirates and the Gunners are yet to agree to his demands

Ozil knows impressive World Cup showing with Germany could attract offers from other clubs

The job for Arsenal now is to see the job through. Be clinical in negotiations. Get Ozil signed up. 

This isn't a time for lowballing. This is a time to stump up the cash to keep the one truly world class footballer Arsenal have in their ranks.

Ozil is settled in London and looks to be enjoying his football again.

Now is the time for Arsenal to strike. The current negotiations have been based around a new contract worth £250,000 a week.

The offer is, of course, still short of what Ozil wants. But with bonuses, the German can get close to what he is looking for.

The current negotiations have been based around a new contract worth £250,000 a week

German is a popular member of the squad and fans will be desperate for him to extend deal

Arsenal fans will want the issue resolved as quickly as possible, but the ball is totally in Ozil's court now.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Ozil heads to the World Cup this summer as a free agent.

Why wouldn't he? Impressing in Russia — in an excellent Germany team — would see his value soar.

He'd surely get the £300,000-a-week deal he is looking for then? If not at Arsenal, then elsewhere.

Arsenal will be desperate to ensure it doesn't come to that. 

Ozil impressed against Chelsea on Wednesday, helping his side reach the League Cup final