Monday 12 December 2016 13:55, UK
Thierry Henry believes Arsenal must do everything to ensure they keep Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez at the club.
The duo's contracts are set to expire in 2018, meaning Arsenal have just six months to reach an agreement over their futures before they enter their final year.
Ozil has already amassed his best goals tally in a season for Arsenal - hitting nine so far in all competitions - while moving Sanchez into a more central position has proved a success; no player has had a hand in more Premier League goals this season than the Chile international (11 goals, 5 assists).
Arsene Wenger has insisted he will not sell the key pair - even if he ends up losing them for nothing - but that is a scenario that should not be entertained, according to Henry.
"Arsene Wenger and the club are clever enough to know that they have to secure those deals," Henry told Premier League Daily. "Are they going to stay? I want them to, but you don't know what is happening behind closed doors. We both know how important Mesut Ozil is, and even more now how important Alexis Sanchez is. Him playing through the middle has made the real difference this year."
"What he can do is amazing, on and off the ball. If you want to build a future, they are the future of the club. You build the team around those guys."
Another player who is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The England international has played more of a pivotal role so far this season, having played in 20 of 23 games in all competitions this season - the joint-most appearances with Alexis Sanchez, and Wenger is adamant the 23-year-old's future lies at the Emirates.
"I want Oxlade-Chamberlain to stay at the club," Wenger said. "I bought him at a very young age and he is developing well.
"This season he is making steps, he is moving forward and when you have invested so much time and work in the player, you want him to stay. He loves it here, he has integrated in the qualities we want him to have and I want him to stay."
Henry wants to see more consistency from Oxlade-Chamberlain, and feels when he does, he can start to be considered one of the first names on the team sheet.
"We all know what a talent he is," Henry added. "You don't judge players on their potential but what they do on the pitch.
"Oxlade-Chamberlain is starting to realise what he needs to do on a regular basis."
