Arsenal fans are sick and tired of listening to the never-ending reports on the contract discussions with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. It has been going on for well over a year and we have heard myriad reasons as to why they haven’t put pen to paper, and we have read oodles and oodles of sometimes outrageous rumours about how much money they want to be persuaded to stay.
But yesterday, it seems that Wenger has dropped a hint that it really is all about the money when he said that ‘other top clubs’ that could offer the pair better contracts. Wenger was asked whether yesterday’s performance could help Alexis and Ozil to commit to new contract, and he replied: “I just said that I’ve been in this job long enough to know that’s not enough. The quality of the contract has to be good and enough for them as well. I am convinced that they love the club and they love the team. All the rest will be decided [soon]. When? I don’t really know. I’m not alone in mastering that.
Then Le Prof was specifically asked if the quality of their contracts was the problem. “It’s part of it.” Le Prof admitted. “The whole thing has to be right and they have to be happy. I believe that they love the club, they want to stay, but there are other top clubs out there who offer good contracts as well.”
If they love the club and want to stay, then why would they leave if they were offered more money? As Tony Adams famously said: “I will sign every contract Arsenal put in front of me without reading it.” That is what it means to love the club and want to stay…
Sam