Interesting article in the newspapers this morning that Arsenal might he forced to sell players in order to lower their wage bill.
Arsenal are trying to sign Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to new contracts. But according to Premier League rules, signing their stars to big money deals could mean that Arsenal would be in violation of the short term cost control (STCC) measures which restrict teams to £7 million increases in total salaries each season.
Sanchez currently earns £130,000 per week and Ozil £140,000, and they have both been offered new deals of around £280,000-per-week. That translates to a £15m rise on Arsenal’s wage bill.
So how come the big spending at Manchester United, Man City and Chelsea have never triggered this clause?
Well Premier League rules allow for overspend, should clubs be able to show that it comes as a result of increased commercial or matchday revenue, or player sales.
With no Champions League football next season, it is difficult for Arsenal to show any improvement in commercial or matchday revenue. If anything, they will both decline in 2017/18 versus last season.
So in order to afford new contracts for both Sanchez and Ozil, Arsenal will have to reduce its wage bill by selling players.
One candidate rumored to be leaving the Emirates is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose current contract has only one year left to run. The England international is being monitored by Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City and could raise as much as £25m.
Barcelona are known to be suitors of Hector Bellerin, while Olivier Giroud is reportedly on the radars of Marseille, West Ham and Napoli and there are a cluster of fringe players who could also be sold to raise the necessary cash.
Of course, this could all be a moot point if Arsenal cannot agree new deals with Sanchez and/or Ozil this summmer and are forced to sell them on.
