Report: Mertesacker set for new Arsenal contract

Per Mertesacker is edging closer to extending his stay in north London as Arsenal looks set to offer the German international a one-year contract.

The club is expected to pick up the one-year option on Mertesacker's contract to ensure the centre-back is in the fold for the 2017-18 campaign, sources told Sky Sports.

Earlier in January, manager Arsene Wenger revealed the team will likely trigger the one-year option on both Mertesacker and Santi Cazorla's contracts, which are set to expire in the summer.

"We have an option (to extend for another year) on both of them, I think we will take it," Wenger said.

Before being sidelined with a preseason knee injury that required an operation to repair his damaged cruciate ligament and has kept him out of the entire campaign thus ffar, Mertesacker was Wenger's preferred choice.

However, there are questions over whether he will be slotted into the first team considering Shkodran Mustafi's success at the back alongside Laurent Koscielny since his arrival from Valencia last summer.

Mertesacker returned to training in December, but there's still no timetable for his availability to play.

Since his arrival from Werder Bremen in 2011, the 32-year-old has made over 200 appearances and helped Arsenal capture two FA Cups.