Arsene Wenger has called on Mesut Ozil to be the leader of his new Arsenal generation.

The German World Cup winner's existing deal is due to expire at the end of the season.

What the papers say

Arsene Wenger insists he will head into tomorrow’s board meeting to discuss his Arsenal future perfectly equipped with all he needs to secure a new contract – namely a recording of Saturday’s FA Cup final win over 10-man Chelsea.

Arsene Wenger admits he is unsure whether Mesut Ozil can deal with the responsibility of being a leading light in his Arsenal side.

Arsene Wenger insists he will not be parking the bus at Anfield today as he looks to rid Arsenal of their away-day woes against their main Premier League rivals.

Premier League

Arsene Wenger admits every game from now until the end of the season must be treated as a cup final if his side is to reel in Antonio Conte’s Chelsea.

Arsene Wenger has warned of the “danger” of astronomical wages being offered by Chinese Super League clubs becoming the benchmark for the Premier League’s top talent.

Per Mertesacker insists Arsenal’s season is not over — but has called on the club’s goalscorers to rediscover their killer instinct.

Fit-again Danny Welbeck can now play a big part in delivering trophies to Arsenal after scoring a last-gasp winner against Leicester on Sunday, according to team-mate Per Mertesacker.

Laurent Koscielny has urged Arsenal to kick on from their vital win at Bournemouth and put themselves firmly back into the Barclays Premier League title picture.

Per Mertesacker insists he and his Arsenal team-mates now believe they can get out of their Champions League group following their ‘nightmare’ start to the competition.

Defender Per Mertesacker says Arsenal must quickly learn how to regain their dynamic style at the Emirates Stadium to salvage any hope of staying in the Champions League.

Louis van Gaal deems it a work in progress and he is right. Manchester United still look well short of the team that considered they had few equals at home or abroad in their pomp under Alex Ferguson but having gone top of the Premier League they have also now secured opening win in the Champions League.

Michael Carrick has no qualms about fighting Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin for a place in the Manchester United first team.

Manchester United have been dealt a double setback in their transfer dealings after being told Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller and Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos are not for sale.

Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola says midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be given the choice of whether to stay or leave the Bundesliga champions — with Manchester United lying in wait.

US ambassador to Ireland Kevin O’Malley has written an open letter to all Irish students on J1 visas encouraging them to stay on and finish their summer working overseas.

Crystal Palace 1 Arsenal 2: Add some silky skills to a solid base of willpower and resolute resilience before topping with a dollop of good luck, and you have yourself the makings of a successful football team.

Premier League

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has accepted an apology from goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for smoking but has hit out at claims made by German striker Lukas Podolski after his move to Inter Milan.

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil accepts he will always be an easy target for the critics and says he has nothing to prove to anybody.

Mesut Ozil must not be used as a "scapegoat" for Arsenal’s shortcomings, manager Arsene Wenger has insisted.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger remains confident his men can finish the job and qualify for the Champions League after battling to a goalless draw against Besiktas in Istanbul, where midfielder Aaron Ramsey was sent off.

Arsenal 0 Bestiktas 0

Champions League Play-off, First Leg

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will let others be the judge of what it means should his side qualify again for the lucrative group stages of the Champions League – but knows all too well the cost of failing to beat Besiktas.

Arsenal will be without defender Kieran Gibbs (hamstring) for Tuesday night’s Champions League play-off first leg against Besiktas in Istanbul.

Arsene Wenger admits Arsenal are “desperate” to qualify for the lucrative group stages of the Champions League – and challenged his side to beat Besiktas “no matter what it costs”.

Manager Arsene Wenger has challenged his Arsenal team to raise their game against direct title rivals and deliver a first Premier League crown for a decade.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal arrived at the club’s Carrington training ground yesterday to begin his new role.

Wayne Rooney has accused Manchester United of lacking ambition.

REAL MADRID’S bid to win a 10th European Cup began with a comfortable 2-0 win over Ajax at the Santiago Bernabeu.

After opening with a 77 and then surviving the halfway cut with nothing to spare, Frenchman Gregory Havret produced a blistering 65 when the Irish Open resumed at Adare Manor near Limerick today.

German organisers have played down trouble involving England fans in Stuttgart and insisted the scale of the problem is small compared to the numbers of supporters at the World Cup overall.

Pop star Robbie Williams and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay today unveiled their line-ups for Soccer Aid.

Thousands of women will be trafficked into Germany to work as prostitutes during this summer’s football World Cup, it was claimed today.

Martin Claffey charts the amazing career path of former Irish U21 midfielder Wayne O’Sullivan.

Zinedine Zidane has claimed a “mysterious voice” persuaded him to come out of international retirement and join up with the France team for the remainder of their World Cup qualifying campaign.

A LAST-MINUTE header from substitute Christian Vieri gave Inter Milan a dramatic 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League Group B.

ALEX FERGUSON is banking on Paul Scholes to inspire another lucrative Champions League campaign for Manchester United in Stuttgart tonight.

German World Cup veteran Stefan Effenberg has announced he expects to sign for Fulham this summer.

Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer plans to give French star Bixente Lizarazu a pay rise in a bid to fend off interest from Europe’s top clubs.