Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil reportedly "wouldn’t think twice" about rejoining Real Madrid if the Liga giants came calling, but he is prepared to sign a new contract with the Gunners.
Per Sport Bild (via the Daily Star's Jamie Styles), the Germany international has concerns about Arsenal's ability to challenge for trophies and would be open to a move back to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium should Real come in for him.
The report added, though, that Ozil, 27, is "ready to pen a new deal" at the Emirates Stadium, with his current contract set to expire in 2018.
Ozil moved to Arsenal from Real in 2013 for a club-record fee of £42.4 million.
He has since become one of their most important players and had his most effective Premier League season yet in 2015-16 as he returned six goals and 19 assists, per WhoScored.com:
In his three years in north London Ozil has won the FA Cup twice, but Arsenal have never made a sustained challenge for the Premier League title or got past the last 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
In the same three seasons since Ozil left the Bernabeu, Real have won two Champions Leagues and a Copa del Rey.
They have also mounted genuine title challenges, never finishing more than three points back from the La Liga champions in the last three campaigns.
The pull for Ozil back to Real is hardly a surprise then as he would have a much better chance of adding to his career trophy haul at the Bernabeu.
Lose Ozil, though, and Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League or going deep in the Champions League in 2016-17 would become even more remote, and they must move fast to tie him to a new deal.
Along with Alexis Sanchez, Ozil is the most valuable attacking player Arsenal have and he thrives in the No. 10 role, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe:
Manager Arsene Wenger will be hoping he can excel again in the 2016-17 season as the Gunners' key playmaker.
Given that Arsenal have so far done little in the current transfer window to strengthen the weak areas in their squad—namely up front and in the centre-back department—they can ill afford to lose their most effective players.
While there has been no talk of Real moving for Ozil any time soon, reports of his willingness to return to the Bernabeu could spark the Madrid club—or other major outfits—into action.
It seems he could be tempted by a move to a club where he is more likely to win medals and Arsenal must convince him that he can do just that at the Emirates and get him to put pen to paper on a new deal, or they will be in danger of losing a star player and likely any chance of a title win in 2016-17.