The Times are reporting this morning (paywalled) that both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are looking for a significant wage increase to sign new deals with the club.
With both players inside the final two years of their current contracts, they hold a very strong hand when it comes to negotiating extensions, and the report says that an initial offer to both of £180,000 per week will no longer be sufficient.
They say that various factors, such as market forces, comparable salaries for top players at other clubs, and the fact they’re heading towards the final year of their deals mean a wage of closer to £250,000 is being sought.
Of course what they ask for and what they’ll agree to may well be different things, and the fact that this information is being made public is part and parcel of the negotiating process.
It’s understood that Ozil is much closer to an agreement than Sanchez, with the Chilean looking for a release clause to his contract amongst other things.
The German international is far more settled in London, and there were some tense moments with Alexis towards the end of last season – including an incident where he stormed out of the stadium when substituted.
It’s obviously crucial that Arsenal tie both these players down. Their quality is one thing, but the club have to show that after attracting top players, they can keep them.
Expect a few more stories like this one over the coming weeks.
They’re worth it.
Just give it to them. If we’re willing to pay Walcott over a hundred grand a week… Ozil and Sanchez are easily worth what they’re asking for.
To be frank, no. 250k per week is obscene amount of money.
But this is the sort of price we have to pay for these pioneers. Once the club have more quality players and start winning trophies more regularly, we would then be in a much stronger position.
I used to think £250k pw was an obscene amount of money too, but it all depends on context. If you equate it to the average person, it’s a ridiculous amount. Getting paid per week what people would dream to be paid per year. But if you look at it in the context of what a football club makes, then it seems much fairer. The players are the driving force behind the deals clubs makes with sponsors and how much revenue they generate. Players like Alexis & Özil have helped attract more interest in Arsenal, meaning more attendance, more merchandise… Read more »
If you want to sign a top player then the amount he will be paid each week is one of the two things he is going to measure you by. The other is his own personal rating of how likely he is to win major trophies with your club. I have no job and no dole either. Whoever you are, if you earn any wage at all, it seems obscene compared to what I make. How dare you expect to earn as much as you do? Is it obscene that Beethoven is famous while the old lady that plays piano… Read more »
@Gutbukket Deffrolla: And you have no idea either. There’s more in the mix, such as location, commercial rights, third-party interests (agents to name one), and affinity (you wouldn’t believe, but also players have personalities) and you cannot have any clue how these influences interact for this or that player.
Leave him alone he’s skint!
From your icon your also a warhammer 40k fan. Maybe that’s why your skint. It sure is why I’m skint
AGunner: You have no idea what you are talking about, do you? What deals were signed because of Ozil and Alexis?
Mustaphi for one
You’re damn right they are. It’s crucial that we keep them tied down to this club for the foreseeable future. If not, people will just start up with their whining and moaning and all the rest. It’s such a pain in the arse to listen to it. A bit like when we have family reunions and parties and my brother Michael is there. He’s always lecturing and hectoring about politics or current affairs and many’s the time I’ve seen a person look for a way out of the conversation but he’s one of those people who never leaves a gap… Read more »
Glad to have you back, Pete.
Ah, yes.
Rambling pete, how I’ve missed you..good to have you back
Sounds like you know how to get results. We should have you in charge of the Ozil and Alexis negotiations.
I gave a thumbs up to this post before I even read it.
Pete, you’re an absolute legend!
Rambling Pete should have his own chant here.
Rambling Pete is easily worth 225,000 per week.
One Rambling Pete,
There’s only one Rambling Pete …
By Dennis we’ve missed you!
Damn! I missed you, Pete. Welcome back.
You are my favourite thing on the Internet, Pete. As soon as I see your name I quickly scroll through to check the length of the comment and the likes (just to make sure it wasn’t an imposter) and settle in for the madness.
It’s still a question of affordability. It don’t stop with those two. You have to remember clubs like Man City and Chelski who have billionaires backing them will chuck any amount of cash at their players I don’t think Kronke will sanction that sort of cash. On the other hand if that’s the way things are going to go maybe Kronke will sell up, take his profit and we will get our own billionaire who will splash the cash
That’s less than half of what the Yankees paid ARod this season (and they released him in August, lol) the Yankees didn’t even make the playoffs. They deserve twice this amount. Pay it in a heartbeat.
Nobody is worth £250,000 a week.
Worth it. Also, outside of the premiership very few clubs will be able to compete with that kind of money and so we ward off potential suitors.
Whilst the number is disgusting compared to regular people, I think you’re right. These two are symbols of the ‘new era’ we’ve embarked on. They are the exception to the norm both in performance and star power.
Consider if we had to replace them… You’re talking a £50m+ transfer fee each (even that is probably conservative) plus wages probably around what they’re asking for anyway.
Pay them what they want and close the chapter I think
That is not too much to ask for..They deserve it.
Show them the money!
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Alexis leaves. His ambitions are not matched by those in charge of the club, seemingly.
…who bought Alexis Sanchez…
Brilliant comment as always Tobs
Tobin, have a chat with Rambling Pete about it. 🙂
I can see Alexis going for sure; if he does, we’ll need to replace with with a Reus-type. (as in, a ‘name’)
The “names” go to clubs who can afford 250,000 easily AND keep regularly winning trophies. So that’s Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich. We aren’t up there. We get whatever we can afford of the “nearly names” (like Alexis Sanchez) who think Wenger is the best man to improve them until they have a chance to become a “name” (like Alexis Sanchez).
We are still a stepping stone, not yet a destination.
Bayern don’t pay insane amounts though and I’m pretty sure Barcelona pay less silly money than, say, Manchester United or City.
Messi is being paid like €300k+ per week. There was a whole debate about this whether Messi or Ronaldo made more money.
Cazorla n Bellerin next please
Just get it done.
I thought they’d already signed judging by the way they were patting and holding the crest on their shirts when they both scored the other week.
Clearly I’d read too much into it 🙁
This was clearly made for you then Sean (and the rest of us!!) 😉 https://i.reddituploads.com/ac0cb5e1b7fd487a8fd2d93e1b539df9?fit=max&h=1536&w=1536&s=4816d101692458e0293c1e309b7f337a
Haha, excellent (and accurate)
Pay it!
What you mean is Sachez and Ozil’s agents want as much as possible. Stating they want 250k a week is just the start. Next they’ll start a rumour that they want to leave to try and hurry things along and the long saga of getting a top player to sign a new contract will continue.
Hey! Spoiler alert!
If a release clause is added it should be way above acceptable limits turning away
potential suitors
Like in Spain where average players have 50 million release clauses. So 150 million for Sanchez? Sounds silly, but he’s better than 95% of the dross out there
99%+
That’s the market pricing nowadays and they can surely get it elsewhere. I hope this isn’t prolonged and they sign another 4 years with at least £150m release clause if needed.
Seriously, they are worth the money. They are still young enough and at the peak or near their peak now. It’s better to spend money on them than to spent money on some 35 years…
Deal!
If was Alexis and looked at Rooney I’d feel pretty sick to my stomach alright..
Then again if I was Tom Huddlestone I’d also want 300k a week.
Rooney gets that much because he’s a cunt working for a bunch of cunts.
I love them both a players, but when you stop to think about how’s nuts this money really is. 500k and week for the two of them!. Crazy! We are coming to the time of year when people have to start choosing between heating on or food in the cupboards!.
Higuain had an 80mill release clause in his contract and he is fat and old. Worrying that Sanchez is asking for one. Means he isn’t that committed to staying. He was open to move to juventus in the summer but we turned it down. Pay the boys want they need.
You cant ask for such top dollar and request a release clause unless its obscene amount. Its basically saying ‘I’m comitted to you but ill bounce if one of the big boys come knocking’
Then again if we have another storm out after being subbed incident, it allows us a straightforward sale.
A release clause is not good though. You’ll always get some spiteful, cuntish club like City bidding just to destabilise the player.
£200/250k pw seems like the going rate for a clubs best players, at the top of the richest league in the world.
The problem is, Alexis is not head and shoulders above the rest, not even sure he is the second best player at the club. So maybe he should have a brief look at himself, because last season I would have all of Santi, Kos, Bellerin, and possibly also Monreal above him for my player of the year. And for this year and on current form, be prepared to pay 250k also to Theo if you pay that much to Alexis because Theo is much more marketable.
As someone who’s just recently had to get legal representatives to deal with other legal representatives to conclude an agreement already made by us personally, it’s usually encouraged for the party the lawyers represent to not get involved.
All this talk is almost lawyer-agent led. Most of the time the players don’t know what going on and are given brief updates (usually blaming the other other party, as the Arsenal lawyers do the same).
Basically, lawyers love to complicate shit. No offence to lawyers.
Lawyers have feelings too!
who cares about Lawyers feelings?
No they don’t
I say pay it. It will send a statement to other players out there that we are willing to play top wages for talent, which I think might of been a stumbling block in the past.
Yes, and it will send a statement also to all our current players that they should ask 100k pw more. I wonder where you suggest the club should get that extra 100m per year?
Give a life-time contract to Bellerin as well, fuckin Barca and City cunts can fuck off.
Definitely think Mesut will sign, a bit skeptical over Alexis, but hoping for the best.
Thats around £24 million a year for both Alexis and Oźil.Considering we had £226 million cash balance,as per the latest financials then why not.I say give it to them
I don’t think the amounts are necessarily a problem here (although they obviously are high), the main problem is going to be the impact on Arsenal’s wage structure in general. Other Arsenal players’ agents are also going to demand higher salaries based on good performances if this is the new benchmark at the club.
Having said that, they deserve it and the club should definitely reward them with these contracts.
Agreed for Ozil, but after the season Alexis had last year, I think it’s quite an insult to suggest that he contributed anywhere close to as much as Ozil, who single-handedly carried the team for 2/3 of the season.
What else are we gonna spend the money on… not new players anyway so give em what they want…
Fuck off. This narrative is just plain old now. We brought in what we needed this summer.
Oh dear.
OKAY OKAY GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT BUT SAVE SOME MONEY FOR A BEARD SHAVE FOR OLLI
No brainer, they’re worth it and we can easily afford it. Make it happen I say!
Again, they don’t know who the manager is next season. Imagine they sign without a release clause and we get someone like Tim Sherwood.
Tim Sherwood’s a gooner, at least.
Sign Wengerballz first
Then sign them but not for crazy money
250 instead of 180 times 2 we couldnt get another 140/w player on the payroll
Pay it
This will happen more with the imported players (who have Euro bank accounts and investments) due to the diminishing value of the GBP
It will cause wage inflation throughout the club, eating into our transfer budget as well.
I will respect if the club see the need to play a harder line on this issue.
Some sense… People saying “just pay it” have never had to manage a club, probably not even a small wallet. Maybe a purse.
£250,000?
£125,000 each isn’t a bad deal at all.
Pay them £200k and make them sign if we win the champions league then £50k will be added and backdated. If we don’t win the champions league then they have to give back £20k and backdate.
Shameless agents looking for huge payouts once again. Seems when you sign marquee players, you’re held to ransom by these sharks.
Hope both of them can put pen to paper before their contracts run down. Would be sad to let them go, if Arsenal aren’t prepared to come to an agreement over their ‘demands’ (within reason).
http://www.totalsportek.com/money/footballers-with-highest-salary/
They want more money than Aguero, Suarez and Bale… Fuck off I’d rather have Iwobi
Asamoah Gyan???
Its very easy to say get it done meet in the middle with them but as a club we need to keep these gays if not we go back 4-5 years
I didnt know you became an agent Andre Santos
Think of what replacing them would cost. Imagine you could get an exact Ozil or Sanchez on the market. Then you would have to pay a 60 million+ transfer fee and then wages that would at least be comparable to those the agents put out. Arsenal would then be spending quite a bit more.
I’m no expert on the intricacies and legal frittery involved in the complex world of contractual talks, but with our newfound financial strength, I hope the phrase “Just pay and give them whatever the fuck they fucking want” is a good enough description of our negotiation strategy.
Özil would be my priority of the two, but I want both to stay (like we all do).
I think Alexis’ passion is what fuels his outbursts so I don’t think he is too far from an extension. I have to say, as I’m a people-pleaser, I would give him a release clause… in the region of £100,000,000.
According to Pablo Afcamden (Dean) on Twitter Özil is done.
I think we opened the door to this when we gave Theo Walcott 140K per week. If Theo on his form and work rate of the 2014-15 season was worth that, then certainly Alexis and Ozil are work 250K/week.
220,000 each seems fair, and a 120,000,000 release clause for Sanchez. There’s not doubting it would be alot more costly to replace these two, plus we would probably end up with inferior players too
I love football, I love Arsenal. However, these sorts of salaries are beyond a joke now. Yeah I know, I’m partially to blame with my sky subscription* and all that but fuck me £250k a week!? I suppose when you’ve got an uncontrolled capitalist system in place that’s what you get. I just hope that the majority of these high paid players give a lot to charity.
*I refuse to watch adverts so won’t be sucked into buying shit I don’t need other than the sky sports package which I know I don’t need. Cheers, rant over.
You have to consider replacement cost. If Alexis left, we’d have to buy someone to replace him. Transfer fees have risen to ridiculous levels. So you pay Alexis 250K per week for four years (which comes to roughly 50M), or you pay at least 50M to bring in a replacement AND pay the new player’s salary as well. Yes, you could subtract from that whatever you receive in a sale of Alexis, if you sold him this year rather than letting him go on a Bosman in two years, but it’s still cheaper to keep him.
I’d be all in favour of salary caps which INCLUDE bonuses/targets/signing on and contract renewal payments to the player, but it will never happen unfortunately or if it did, the cap would be somethin obscene like 600k per week.
Its definitely not just the money which is holding them back until now ( Arsenal can definitely pay 250k). i think both of them are waiting to see what will happen with Arsene Wenger’s future at the club.
It’s an interesting conundrum this. The players were brought in by Arsene. Both of them confirmed as much that Arsene’s talks were instrumental in them signing for Arsenal. With Arsene in the final year of his own contract, what is the incentive for these two players at the top of their game to extend their contracts? Will they be satisfied earning top dollar (or £/€ whatever) if they are not playing in the CL?
If Arsenal can afford it, they should do it. No release clauses mind you.
250k per week is 13 million pounds per year. In terms of dollars that is about 18 million. Most Hollywood stars making between 10 and 20 million per film. So in terms of being an entertainer this kind of salary makes sense to me. They are both about 27. These will be their prime years. If you sign both to 5 year deals you will either get great work from them or sell them for big transfer fees. Either way it is a green light from me!
Also, USD 18M per year pales in comparison to what the top earners in other sports earn. The number of baseball players earning over $20M per year can no longer be counted merely on fingers and toes (not even by Stoke fans who have six fingers on each hand and seven toes on each foot). Ozil and Sanchez are two of the very best footballers in the world. Huge as the numbers may be, they are both worth it. Sign them up.