Chelsea enter as a 'hot candidate' to sign Arsenal attacker

Premier League holders Chelsea have emerged as a 'hot candidate' to pursue Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil ahead of rivals Manchester United.

The Germany international is approaching the final six months of his Emirates contract, and this has recently attracted interest from United and Barcelona.

While the Red Devils are deemed to be keeping tabs on the attacker, per The Sun, there has been a suggestion from Don Balon that Ozil has verbally agreed to join Barca next summer.

According to German outlet SportBild, Antonio Conte's side are the newest entry in the admirer list with the Italian desperate to increase the depth of his Blues squad.

Conte's pursuit of a new attacker went in vain after Ross Barkley and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turned down a deadline day switch, and he is seemingly desperate for options for the second half of the campaign.

Despite the speculation, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has recently stressed that contract rebels Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will stay put at the Emirates beyond January unless 'something incredible happens'.