Arsene Wenger insists interest from Manchester United in Mesut Ozil will not affect the playmaker’s place in the Arsenal side.

European giants United and Inter Milan are among the leading contenders for Ozil’s signature despite a disappointing start to the season in which he has yet to contribute a goal or assist in six Premier League games.

A knee injury has also sidelined Ozil but even since recovering from that he has struggled to establish his place in Wenger’s side and was left on the bench for the first hour of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Watford.

Arsenal are prepared to offer Ozil new terms worth in excess of £250,000-a-week but Wenger has previously conceded that progress on an extension has stalled. However that and interest from a Premier League rival will not necessarily keep the German out of Wenger’s side.

“We have to deal with all kinds of speculation when the players are at the end of their contracts,” Wenger said. “On the other hand, to be professional is to give 100 per cent as long as you are somewhere.

“For the rest, we came out many times and said that’s the situation. It [the media] can come out tomorrow and say that he extends his contract here.

“It will be exactly the same, it will not change anything. When you play the next game, commit 100 per cent.

Wenger insisted that Ozil was still under consideration for the trip to Everton on Sunday.

“I believe that at the moment I just focus on what is the best possible team for the next game and have no pre-conceived ideas if the guy will be 100 per cent committed or not.

“That would be unfair on my side, because you don’t have any opinion about that. When a player plays for Arsenal Football Club, his commitment cannot be linked with the length of his contract, it has just to be linked with the responsibility and the ambition he has to win the football game.”