Per Mertesacker: 'My priority is to get a new Arsenal contract'

Per Mertesacker of Arsenal celebrates his team's 1-0 win in the FA Community Shield match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on August 2, 2015
© Getty Images
Per Mertesacker says that his "priority" is to earn a new contract at Arsenal before his current deal expires at the end of the season.

Per Mertesacker has claimed that he wants to stay at Arsenal beyond the end of his current deal, which expires next summer.

The German defender has not played a single minute this season due to injury, and he may struggle to break back into the team due to the strong partnership of Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny.

Despite being linked with Hannover and Werder Bremen, Mertesacker has claimed that he wants to remain at the Emirates.

"A new Arsenal contract has absolute priority for me, but no dates have been set [for talks]," Mertesacker told Spox. "Arsenal has the highest priority for me. Everything else is pure speculation, and I won't join the discussion."

The 32-year-old joined the Gunners in 2011.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City107212491523
2Arsenal1072123101323
3Liverpool1072124131123
4Chelsea107122191222
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs10550145920
6Everton10532158718
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15Middlesbrough10244911-210
16West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom102441014-410
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham103161019-910
18Hull City10217823-157
19Swansea CitySwansea10127918-95
20Sunderland10028720-132