Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker is reportedly "close" to agreeing a new deal with the club.
The 32-year-old has yet to play for the Gunners this season after picking up a knee injury in pre-season, but is closing in on a return to first-team action having resumed training in recent weeks.
The German's current contract is due to expire at the end of the season and, according to Sky Sports News, manager Arsene Wenger is preparing to offer him a 12-month extension to keep him at the club until 2018.
The news comes a week after Olivier Giroud, Francis Coquelin and Laurent Koscielny all put pen to paper on new long-term deals with the side.
Mertesacker has featured 207 times in all competitions for Arsenal since his £8m switch from Werder Bremen in August 2011.
Written by
Neil Wilkes
Neil Wilkes
