There is a real possibility that William Saliba could leave Arsenal during the current transfer window, as negotiations for a new contract have been met with shocking wage demands from the defender.
Saliba has shown significant improvement over the past two seasons, impressing during his loan spells at Olympique Marseille and subsequently at Arsenal. His performances have garnered attention from clubs across Europe, making him a highly sought-after player.
While Arsenal is keen to retain Saliba and secure his long-term future at the club, the current situation is far from ideal. Although they have triggered an extension in his contract, the defender is set to become a free agent at the end of the upcoming season.
In an effort to prevent losing Saliba on a free transfer, Arsenal has engaged in talks with his representatives regarding a contract extension. However, negotiations have become complicated due to the player’s demands, which reportedly exceed what the club had anticipated offering.
As a result, The Sun has reported that Arsenal is now considering the possibility of selling Saliba this summer, rather than risking his departure as a free agent at the end of next season.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Saliba is a key player for us and we expect the defender to demand to be one of the highest-paid players at the club.
However, we must be careful not to offer too much too soon to him because there would be more contract renewals between him and the club.
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Here is their first analysis of the summer, where Alfie and Rob discuss and predict every single possible Arsenal incoming and outgoing this summer, including fees and potential destinations for outgoings.
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Have not seen or heard about wages the player wants compared to what the club offers. I’m sure there are many factors on both sides coming into play.
Club has to decide the cost of replacing plus wages versus the wages asked by the player and agents. Can we afford to pay the wages being asked?
Can we afford the trial and error of trying to replace a talented CB that can play for the net decade?
This is where AFC made a mess of things. I really felt along with many other gooners, that he should have been brought in a year earlier (instead of Ben White as a CB).
The negotiations would have been easier.
I think so too, but we really don’t know. Could be simply that he’s aware of his value in today’s market, and is not willing to accept less when he doesn’t have to.
If we’d kept him rather than sending on loan, and got him to sign a contract at the end of last season, maybe then it would have been easier.
Nah that’s not the case, it’s because they gave in to Sakas demand for 300k now all players will be parity, not rocket science
👍 The relationship between Arteta and Saliba appears a worry.
I saw we offered something over 100k pw (might have been 150k). It’s terrible but i can see the perspective of: is he really worth less than 1/2 Saka’s contract? Does anyone believe he’s less valuable as a player, or has less potential? I don’t, to be honest.
It’s getting a bit difficult with these contracts. How many players can we afford to keep on this kind of money?
Tricky, but I really do believe that he deserves to be among the clubs top earners. After all, he’s one of the clubs best performers.
But I have a feeling this is not about money. We all know that Arsenal are not afraid to reward their players financially. My gut feeling is telling me there could be some clauses involved.
Saka’s contract is I believe £200,000pw with add ons so 300 is the maximum
What is so galling is that Nketiah is apparently on £100,000 pw which is at least £20 grand a week too much. This obviously inflates the wage bill throughout the club. Who negotiates these contracts?
The money involved in football generally is just too much these days, not only the players wages but also the transfer fees. It was always going to be difficult for Arsenal management not to get caught in this, I believe.
Davi, this is the issue as the contract details offered are not freely available. I have heard that he is on an initial £40k per eeek and has been offered triple that at £120k per week. Given his performances this season (albeit interrupted by injury), his importance to the spine of the team and reported contract offers to other players, this appears insufficient.
If he doesn’t sign with only 1 year to go, Saliba must be sold to protect Arsenal’s financial investment. Given Ben White cost £50 in transfer fees, what will a CB of William Saliba’s quality cost? I would be very upset if Arsenal lose him due to penny pinching. Arsenal need an extra quality CB and it would be unforgivable to lose the one they have!
As soon as Saka’s pay became known it set the standard for what can now be expected by the likes of Saliba and Rice etc.
That is true, whether it is fair or not. Nketiah’s wages for sitting on the bench, then Saka having the leverage to ask for massive wages.
Now Saliba likely wanting large wages, and having leverage because we were pants defensively since he has been injured.
I don’t see Kiwior or White able to match what Saliba did, not the aerial or physicality. and to replace Saliba in the lineup will be a huge transfer fee.
It may be cheaper to pay the wages for a known commodity, rather than shop the market and get unknown results.
But let’s be honest here, wasn’t Saliba off form before he got injured? He started the season well but then started to make basic mistakes and costing us goals too before he got injured. I feel like people have selective memory.
It’s not because Saliba was injured for our dropped form.
Go revisit the match articles of the games before to when he got injured. Most fans and pundits had started to notice his youth and inexperience. Some pundits had even started to rip into Gabriel (a more experienced defender) for not guiding him in some instances would go chasing balls or losing his man on set-piece etc..
And if I can remember correctly, even during the World Cup he made some rookie mistakes in the few minutes he was afforded.
So let’s not rewrite history about his abscence’s being the reason our defending dipped.
Fair enough, but his influence on the defense has been a big positive this year. Also his influence on other players and backing them up.
For example, Ben White has been a good RB most of the year, but against Brighton Mitoma was pocketed and switched to Ben White’s side. Afterwards, White was absolutely roasted rest of the match; would that have happened if Saliba was in the match?
Holding isn’t as terrible as some make him out to be, but can’t argue he is a huge drop off compared to Saliba’s pace and passing range.
What is more likely, Saliba’s absence has caused the defense to struggle, or Gabriel, White, Ramsdale, and Zinchenko have all lost form at the same time and yet to rebound?
So all the goals we conceded when Saliba was off form in those games before he got injured were conceded because Salibal was not present in the team? What about the own goals and goals that we conceded that came directly from Saliba poor defending in those matches before he got injured? If Saliba was in the team I bet you we would not have conceded those goals that came directly from his rookie naivety. Isn’t it?
Again. Just go back and revisit the match threads leading up to his injury and see what fans were writing about him. Fans were starting to suggest that Arteta is overplaying him. And that may be he should rest him so that he could reset.
Fans started to acknowledge that he was not the finished article yet because he kept being turned, would run off chasing hopelss balls in the RB area or in midfield then being turned leaving Gabriel exposed. Etc. He had started to lose headed corners and setpieces flailing about. Kept letting his man blindside him during corners and setpieces etc.. The honeymoon period and adrenaline levels had started to level out in our fans that they then started to start analysing him with no blinkers on.
I remember in one game Rio Ferdinand on MOTD was pelting the experienced Gabriel and Zinchecko for not guiding Saliba. Because he kept running after balls he should not have been running for. He was sliding into tackles he should not have been going down on.
And in another match I remember Neville and Carragher also pointing out how Saliba was playing on adrenaline and running after balls way out in the RB area that she should have been running after etc. And Neville saying Arteta should calm him down etc.
Even on that show that Ian Wright and that lady present. They also were full of praise for Saliba but asking for Gabriel and Arteta to calm him down because he had started to slide into tackles that did not warrant going on the ground. Should have stood his ground instead of running in and sliding taking himself out of the game and leaving his partner in exposed at the back etc..
Even during the world cup he played a few minutes but made many rookie mistakes that were highlighted by our rival fans. Making fun of him being overly hyped by us Arsenal fans blah blah..
I really rate Saliba and was very confused when Arteta did not give him a chance but loaned him out instead. This is one of the few disagreements I have had with Arteta player management. Did not agree with it. The Saliba situation and Martinelli situation when Arteta first became manager. He would not play Martinelli and it used to p!ss me off.
But coming back onto the topic. I think people have a blinkered view on Saliba. Selective memory. Only remembering what side / part of the story that they confirms their already biased view point.
We have to calm down overly hyping our fan favourite players and try to be a bit more balanced in our analysis.
That’s what I think..
Never said “all the goals conceded” you are overstating and overreacting. I said his influence in the defense is clearly present, and you noticed the drop off pretty quickly.
Saliba’s pace helped Ben White on the right side, Holding’s lack of pace was apparent and affected Ben White and his opportunities to overlap Saka.
Even Gabriel didn’t play wit the same Confidence when paired up with Holding. Again not belittling Holding, but merely expressing the importance of Saliba’s performances and confidence in the partnership with Gabriel.
Goonster, just let’s sell Saliba, because by your reasoning he is dispoable. Who would you line up to replace Saliba snd how much would you expect to pay? By the way to compete next year in all competitions. Arsenal will require a minimum of 4 quality CB’s.
Who does not want a good payment?
Arsenal has the right to propose a wage of Saliba’s contract and as well, also Saliba has the right to air out his wish. What is needed is only sitting at the round table for talks, bcoz he deserves it and he is worth that.
We may shouldnt sang his name for 90 minutes like there werent any other player on the pitch
Our fans were trying to sweet talk and serenade him into staying but he did not seem to have bought the bait.
At least now he can’t say that the fans did not show him love, appreciation and praise..
😊
Nothing really to see, it is just the usual haggling.
After a bumpy start with loans, Arsenal have been very good for him and Arteta showed a lot of faith by switching White to right back and putting him in the centre of defence. He is a fantastic young player surrounded by other fantastic young players and a manager who backs him, he has every reason to want to stay. I would be amazed if he went to PSG, he has outgrown the French League and he would not improve his game marking second rate forwards.
Wrong. MA switched White because he bought a CB that’s not a very good CB! Add Tomi’s injury too, so no it’s got nothing to do with putting faith because he had no other choice with Holding being so poor.
They should benchmark against what cb’s in Man City/utd and pool are on, would not go more though, we can’t match psg.
I just don’t think we’re that kind of club, Pat, which is why I support Arsenal. Saliba is undoubtedly useful but he’s prone to injury as well and may not really like playing in th Prem so he’s decided to make it worth his while. Or he could just be playing hardball, which he has every right to.
Been flagging this issue literally for years on this site.
As with Saka, just another example of horrendous contract management. We put ourselves in this position and can blame no-one else!
Nketiah on 100k was the start, Saliba is at least 3 times the player Eddie is, so why should he accept less?
Ask yourself would you accept less at your job? If you have a bang average colleague that contributes very little and he’s getting a huge salary….and you were a hard working vital employee….why should you get less? Especially when there’s many other job offers potentially on the table?
MA and Edu have created this situation as predicted years ago.
You are talking nonesence! Since when did centre forwards and centre backs start earning the same wages? Has Jesus been more productive than Nketia? Why don’t you use Jesus as a reference instead of Nketia?
Firstly because I can do whatever I want and reference Eddie if I want to because he’s on ridiculous wages! Also Jesus is on massive wages, how is this proving your point lol
Please tell me what was nonsense that I said? Good players earn better wages than bad players regardless of position, what’s difficult to understand about that?
Saliba vastly overated.
Gabriel the better player.
If he is greedy get rid of.
Ben back into the middle which worked well.
Ivan Fresneda in at right back.
Kiwior a pre season too for us.
Can see a player.
👌👌👌👌…
They are berating Arsenal for Saka’s contract now, but if Arsenal had refused his demands and let him leave, same fans would have still been here berating Arsenal. You just can’t satisfy everyone.
If Saliba thinks what has been offered isn’t good enough and the club sees no reason to give him what he is demanding, then let him go. Enough with the rising emotions.
When Jesus got injured, and Nkethia came in, and was doing well, we were all praising him, now he is suddenly not worth a 100k and someone said Saliba is worth 3 times what he is worth.
Fans here just love to always speak from emotions when it comes to those they like, irrespective of whether the coach is doing the right thing or not.
Let the Manager and the club do whatever they deem right, and Saliba do whatever he feels best for himself. Simple.
Evgunner this is the latest report I was referring to.
The relationship was strain with the gaffer from day one , it subsequently lead to the kid grossly been mismanaged.
How can others see the massive potential in the kid from early and the gaffer didn’t, for the club to invest so much into a young player and turn around loan him back instantly, speaks volumes of his ceilings.(,that initial loan was part of the deal it appears) not the subsequent ones.
This crap about the kid not ready was more of a personal thing , the legendary Henry told Amazon prime the kid was never even given a chance.
A kept saying how Arsenal continues to play Mustafi ahead of this kid was beyond me, I have been saying this for a couple of years now.
It was like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Gunsmoke please see my message below
So everyone else saw the potential in the kid while the gaffer (Arteta) missed it? Or it was just a personal grudge from the manager towards the kid?
Can we please gather all those that saw the potential in Saliba way before Arteta noticed it and offer them scounting or Academy roles in at the club? Get them all together and let’s pressure arsenal football club to offer them a scouting job. Then the rest should be hired into our academy setup so that they can start spotting those kids that have potential and those that will make it as top top players from a very young age.
All that talent being wasted on these social medias and internet fans forums. The likes of Arteta, our scouts and academy coaches aint got a clue when it comes spotting potential talent.
I say sack them all and lets hire all these online talent spotters (“Potential” spotters). These internet self-made Potential Talent spotters must have such amazing CV’s and portfolios in
“Future talent spotting”. Isn’t it? Please Arsenal football club, hire them. All this talent is being wasted on internet fans forums.
😇🤞💰
We hyped Saliba too much, and now he has no appreciation for who or what Arsenal are. Let him go to PSG pleeeeze. He needs a lesson in life.
Many a French man, have gone his route and enjoyed early retirement.
@MM….I totally agree. There are better and cheaper centre backs in the market right now. I’ll say sell him to PSG now!
Name these CBs please?
👍I also would like to know based on form this season (and even last in France)?
G – yes I’ve heard this before and that Saliba might be holding a bit of a grudge. How true it is though, is anyone’s guess. You know G, you only have to observe Arteta to see he can be stubborn. This could be why it took him too long to recognise Saliba but he eventually changed his mind. Could be some damage has been done. He made up his mind to give Xhaka a second (and third) chance even though people were calling for Xhaka to go, but MA stuck to his guns. He seems to have made up his mind about Tierney too and I don’t think he will change it either. Sooner or later he will be left with ackee and saltfish on his face !!!
A just love your style, that acke and saltfish is no normal dish in fact it is our national dish and am certain you knows it too.
A meal of acke and saltfish cook with freshly made coconuts oil , have been known to makes grown men and women walk in the streets in their birthdays suits.
Saliba
But the gaffer had admitted he made a mistake and has welcome him with both arms , he even put his hand pick signing Ben White on the far right and accommodated him in the middle.
That action alone speaks louder than words, but their is no doubt in my mind the kid and his connections are going to squeeze every bit of penny from Arsenal.
I don’t expect him to forget but atleast he can forgive and we can live happily after.
G – I thought that would make you laugh.
But did you see that guy’s message to me ? His name is Kpankulu. I’ll be looking for him in future. I think he must be hallucinating. I hope he sees my reply to him. What a strange character he must be. It wouldn’t surprise me if he is a psychcologist because they normally
mis-diagnose !
@EvGunner: using your disdain for Arteta to drive a false narrative. Sad, really.
Arteta managed Saliba just right, and the player himself confirmed it. Was it perfect? No – but please stop twisting what happened.
That being said, If the reports are true, a one season wonder in the Premiership needs to be moved on ASAP, so he can find out like all the others that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side.
Disdain ? False narrative ? Twisting ? What on Earth are you talking about sonny ? I’ve never seen your name before so I don’t know if you are new. If you knew my opinion and attitude about MA you would know that I am 100% FOR HIM. Not sure what you are reading into my statement at all. In fact did you really read it, or are you looking for a “punch-up” of words. The people who know me on this site understand that I rate MA. Apply your mis-assessment to someone else please..
Arteta definitely is stubborn – but all the great managers are/were stubborn. Wenger, ferguson, clough, guardiola, cruyff(!) – they all achieved something because they stuck to their beliefs and went for it. Like all of them, arteta will get things wrong, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be stubborn, because he will also be right about things no one expects.
That’s not to say I think he’s a great manager like those mentioned (I doubt it, but it’s yet to be determined), just that stubbornness is an important characteristic that is needed.
(I know we’re in agreement – just making the point because many people see the word stubborn as negative and an attack, when it’s not meant that way)
Davi – yes I know I will always get intelligent feedback from you, but our ‘friend’ who had a go at me ….well that’s another story. Amazing how some people come on here possibly in a bad mood or something. Remarkable !
And Emile Smith-Rowe appears to be rated lower than Viera by Arteta, based on opportunities when both fit to play.
Sell Sell Sell if you think he is not worth what he is asking for. Lets not beat around the bush and losing him on a free. Sell him this summer and get as much money as you can squeeze out of PSG and move on. We still have the whole summer to replace him.
Lets not fidget about like we normally do and end up being made to look like mugs on valuable outgoings.
Ruthless, Goonster, ruthless!😉
@Mrs SueP.
I stopped simping for these pampered Multimillionaires that take us for mugs. I stopped caring when Cesc did what he did and RVP absolutely shattered me. Ever since then I don’t get emotionally attached to these wealthy mutli millionaire business men (Footballer). I now deploy a transactional relationship when it comes to players. I will fully support and back them as long as they reciprocate that for my club. The moment they start acting like the spoilt / pampered primadonnas they really are they I want them out.
Mrs SueP, I had enough of bumlicking these players. I do understand that they have to do what is best for them financially etc. But on the other hand me as an Arsenal fan have to look out for what is best for me as a supporter.
It’s time for us as Arsenal fans to put our own happiness and desires ahead of these mercenaries (players) for once and demand performances, loyalty and success. It’s time for these players to also start thinking about us fans who are the ones giving them the mutli millionaire lifestyle some of us will never have a sniff of in this life and hereafter. Lol
So I don’t bumlick any players anymore. If they don’t want to be at Arsenal and feel we are not good enough for their precious self then I want them out as soon as possible. This is our time as fans to be rewarded for our patience.
So again, it’s a transactional relationship i have with these players because that’s what they have been doing all along. If we don’t give them what they want (money or trophies) then they will drop us like a used tissue. Lets have some pride in ourselves as fans for once. Stop the simping and bumlicking these pampered multimillionaire primadonnas and demand they also start treating us like real contributors to their multimillionaire lifestyle.
The way they will drop a club and fans in a blink of an eye is what did it for me. I don’t simp for them like I used to when I was younger and gullible.
I hope Arteta just keeps the players that want to stay here. We don’t need this drama. We are progressing at speed and it’s all due to the harmony that Arteta has instilled into the club. I don’t want to be sidetracked by player nonsense again. We went through those times. Very destructive and distracting. We trying to go for the title again next season. Lets not entertain player drama again. You feel like you are or have gotten too big for little old Arsenal then please make it easier for to sell you so that we can move on with our progress and process. I have been so done with over indulging with these players. I don’t care if you are Saka or Xhaka. Arsenal and my happiness comes first now.
Thank you very much.
🙏🤞👍😊
So you would sell a a player who potentially will be world class in the future (almost there )
Because he’s turned down a reported 120ka week .
Saka -290k reported
Martinelli-200k reported
Eddie 100k (😂)
This boy will go on to be one of the best CBs in the world in the next 5 years .
This is what’s happens when any club start given out wages for not actually winning anything ,it’s started once again with Arsenal (apparently this would not happen again under this regime 😉)
At the end of the day it’s not our money and no player plays for the love of football or affiliation to a club (ridiculous assumption).
Next season is already going to be hard enough ,selling our best CB in years will make it so much harder .
@Dan Kit
That’s exactly what I am a saying. I would sell a player who is just potential and seems to not want to be here. What more should I do? Sweep and lay flower petals in his path? Do his laundry? Call him prince or king Saliba, the most merciful the and most beneficent etc? Should we do an animal sacrifice to show him our devotion to him?
We have lost better more established players in our history and the Arsenal FC never stopped. We even sold a few players that were deemed as world class and irreplaceable since Arteta took over. But has that stopped us progressing season after season? But the sensationalists prophesied how selling such worshipped fans favourite players would be the end of Arteta and Arsenal. Those predictions did not come to pass. Did they?
Trust me, that kind of over the top hype talk about “If we lose such and such a player our whole world would end” does so little for me. I am older, wiser and more experienced. Been around for a few decades now. Seen Title winning superstar come and go at Arsenal, I was alive to experience the invincibles. And they left. But Arsenal FC is still here, we as fans are still here. These players come and go. Losing Saliba who had not achieved anything as a player and is still just potential is not going to make me lose much sleep. Trust me. I find pandering, simping and bumlicking these pampered primadonnas to be cringeworthy. That’s all. You will never catch me ever again twisting myself into notes all for the sole purpose of assuring these players of my atmost devotion to them. I left Kissing the ring of there players to you guys. I have too much pride.
And have had this attitude as far back as the Cesc / RVP episodes. But started with the likes of Ashley Cole, Vieira running away. Then Henry dumping us for Barcelona. Then Cesc playing us before pushing for his Barcelona move. RVP forcing a move to Man United was the final straw for me.
I don’t know why you are mentioning Nketia and on £100k and laughing. You will never catch me simping for Nketia. So I don’t what the your whole point is on mentioning his name. He came through our academy.
And to be honest, I couldn’t care less about who you think is going to turn out to be one of the best 5 CB in the world in the next 5 years. That’s your personal opinion. You seem to think that you are Omniscient ( you know what is going to happen in the future). That’s a God-like trait you are exhibiting right there. And knowing what will happen in 5 years time and going as specific as you did by even prophesing about him ending up in the top 5 best CB in the world? Brother, can you now give me this Friday’s Euro millions winning numbers? And I want to know what the future hold for me in the next 5 year too. Thank you very much. 😊
And this “Give him whatever he wants” talk too triggers me. Reminds me of the 2 highest ever paid players in Arsenal history. Fans used that “Give them whatever they are asking for” Catchphrase. It brings back bad memories because we know how Lol
And I can only take your bold “Saliba”prediction with a tiny pinch of salt as your prediction game / history has not been up to scratch during this Arteta era. Why should I take this prediction seriously when you have been so wrong in nearly all of your previous big claims and predictions?
🤞🤭
Your post is excellent and makes sense. Agree with every single thing you’ve said. Good on you. I want our club to have the best players, but “best players” means a lot more than just how good they are on the pitch. It also means people with good morals too, maybe a utopian idea but so be it. Just how much money does it take to make someone “happy”.
Our coaches need to COACH players to be winners (or at least be a very good team able to vie with the best of our opponents). Throwing money around never guaranteed success (Ozil is an example of that).
I’m not against players trying to get as much as they can, but it should always be within reason and the club should not be held to ransom.
Saliba is a good player and I hope he stays but if a sensible deal cannot be struck then he can go. I am not judging Saliba and I have no right to because none of us know for sure what the hold up is really about (if there is indeed a hold up at all).
More than potential over last two seasons. How high is Fofana rated? How much potential has Nketiah shown commensurate to his wages?
Goonster, The best , most astute and shrewd post, I havew sen on JA in ages. I agree completely. When I WAS A VERY YOUNG BOY, i too held fooluish attechments to certain players back in the fifties But players back than were not mercenaries and fraudulent cheats such as the appalling character of Ozil, stupidly worshipped as a sort of God by many of our immature fans, while cheating the club , we fans, his profession, his team mates and even himself, by his self centred refusal to give his all and to EARN his obscene wage.
I GREW UP THOUGH , unlike some on JA and could see the harm done when this wage spiral, which began way back in the early eighties, began hoilding fans to ransom.
Ever since, being a mature adult, I have warned against it. BUT there seems a stupified conspiracy of dumb silence and eyes and ears wilfully closed to the obvious approaching tsunami of gross greed, that will in time kill the game completely as a mass spectaor sport.
It will be FAR TOO EXPENSIVE for the ordinary working class fan, who for well over a century has been the games life blood. We have sold our soul to corporate thieves, and scumbag agents and, worse still, to the overwhelming majority of players at all top level football clubs ,our own included.
DEATH approaches for our game. as a would be spectator sport.
👌👌👌👌
Exactly! Let whoever wants to leave, leave, and replace them fast. Otherwise they’d start misbehaving.
No need for dramas.
I think Arteta bought Ben White for his multi purpose ability. He can play CB, RB and DM.
These are the types of players that Arteta like. Look at nearly all the players he has bought or he goes for. The vast majority of them can play in at least 2 positions.
Even this new Kiwor kid is already playing Leftback when he was bought as a CB.
Look at Partey. Arteta is now trying him as an inverted RB etc..
May be this is why Arteta was okay with spending £50 million on Ben White..
I don’t know.
Reading all th above posts and looking at this wages difficult decision our club has, brings home to me how very astute have all my own posts been in calling ALL Prem wages grossly greedy and an obscenity. Wages are remorselessly and steadily putting football beyond financila reach of the ordinary working class fan.
Grotesque demands such as SALIBA’S AND SUCH AS SAKA’S NEW CONTRACT are just the tip of the iceberg.
I repeat for the UMPTEENTH TIME, that unless this suicidal wage spiral is somehow reversed urgently and wages fall, then football as a sport for ordinary people, will soon become completely unaffordable, to watch in person.
I have been warning for many years but my regular warnings fall on fooishly “deaf” ears.
Such a shame that I SEEN TO BE ALMOST ALONE IN HAVING REAL FORESIGHT
Jon
It’s not just the season ticket holders etc
Like most of the football/sport minded public, we are paying an absolute fortune to watch – thanks to the high stakes bidding to televise it AND we can’t even get to watch Arsenal on demand.
Of course Sue. The obscenity of top level wages affects ALL costs connected to watching fooball, onTV too. I never suggested differently.
IMO, wilfully ignoring this fast growing catastrophe is like knowing you have cancer but refusing to face up to it and get treatment until it kills you. TOO LATE THEN!
Hiding away, instead of confronting an obvious approaching catastrophe, is not only suicidal but is cowardly too.
I don’t disagree with you Jon, but so long as consumers spend the pot of money will grow.
That only leaves a couple choices.
1. Pay the players far less, but the owners will rake in hundreds of millions or billions in time.
2. Pay the players as now, and we see the mercenary-like attitude from many.
3. The issue is the vast amount of money the game and league bring in every year.
Durand You missed out, whether deliberately or because you did not think of it, the ONLY way we fans can ever change things utterly.
By an en masse agreement across all Prem clubs fans, to not go to matches at all, UNTIL and UNLESS WAGES ARE MASSIVELY REDUCED ACROSS THE BOARD.
THAT would work but it is the so called “nuclear option”, without which the game will cease being available to ordinary non rich fans for ever more.
Jon
I did not “miss out” as I correctly stated (as I believe) the root of the problem. The fans continue to pay increased ticket prices, increased Kit prices, and flood the game with a continuous and growing influx of money.
As long as that pool of money continues to grow, it’s just a question of it’s dispersal. Players? Owners? Investment in club and academy?
jon, it is what it is and tilting at windmills comes to mind. One always had to fall back on St Francis of Assissi and develop serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
@MM….I totally agree. There are better and cheaper centre backs in the market right now. I’ll say sell him to PSG now and get rid of his arrogance and disloyalty!
So all of a sudden everyone believes what the Sun says!
I think it’s all clickbait bull💩 and he will still be an Arsenal player next season and commit to the club for a further 4 years. Reports of Saka being on 300k and other reports saying 200k shows that no one knows the truth of a players wage, and why should they? Newspapers put out stories to boost sales, not to impart the truth on many gullible footy fans.
GB, apart from Durand’s input, the most sensible post I’ve read regarding players salaries.
The most amazing thing for me has been the thinking of fans with regards to what players are ACTUALLY earning,when, in truth, only the player, agent, certain people within the club and the taxman really knows.
I’ve read how coronavirus would bring an end to massive transfers and grotesque salaries, but of course, it’s being proved that that view was complete balderdash.
The club hasn’t learnt any lessons from the Ozil / Aubameyang contracts and to award Nketiah a reported £100k a week has driven the situation we now find ourselves in.
No top club would have given him that kind of money, but I am certain there will be clubs climbing over each other to give Saliba whatever it is he wants from The Arsenal – so I do blame whoever it was who thought Nketiah was worth the reported £100k a week for the situation we, seemingly, find ourselves in with Saliba AND I might add, Nelson.
I read somewhere, either in the article or in the responses above, that The Arsenal don’t have unlimited resources – tell me what it would cost to buy a player like Saliba along with his wages and then read what Dan kit says above.
I remember like it was yesterday the Coronavirus comment by a certain individual Ken 🙄 I won’t name names but he’s famous on JA for his unbelievable knowledge of all things football and life In general 🤡
Coronavirus would never have an impact on football and the owners that run the game as we are seeing in the last 6months regarding money spent and silly wages given ,that was obvious even to the simple folk .
What goes around comes around, or is it the other way round DK?
Before this article came out, the majority of fans were saying that it was the injury to Saliba that was the main reason we lost out on the title (including you know who) but now, it seems, he’s not worth double at the very least, what Nketiah is reported to be earning while sitting on the bench!!!
I think the question is. Is he as important as Saka?
Saliba will feel he owes Arsenal nothing and it is his chance to say, show me you appreciate me because others will.
I read several reports that Arsenal wants to treble his wages.he is currently on 40K/week so they are offering him 120K/week,no wonder he wants more!!
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To the folk who are doubting Saliba, don’t forget how the great man himself went through a similar period in his development, to the extent that fans were referencing him as “donkey” and giving him the “eyaw” each time he touched the ball, before he went on to become one of the best central defenders in the world.
Who are you referring to? I’ll like to know
Who are you referring to? I’ll like to know
Tony Adams, but you knew that didn’t you!
Surely you know it’s Tony Adams, or was it a rhetorical question?
The kid deserves to be paid, handsomely too.
For years, he was told he wasn’t enough for the first team.
After being left to rot on the bench, and even left out of the EUROPA squad, he took a pay cut to join Marseilles on loan – a gutsy and courageous decision at the time – in hindsight, a brilliant move.
Now he’s regarded as one of the best young centre backs on planet earth and contender for our MVP this season.
So, what on earth is wrong with asking to be paid at the going market rate?
If we can afford to pay Saka, Martinelli and Nketiah, why can’t we do the same for Saliba?
JUST PAY SALIBA!!
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Many years ago, my cousin and I went to Craven Cottage to watch Fulham play Man Utd.
It was announced that week, Johnny Haynes had become the first $100 pounds per week player. We had to go and see just what kind of player that money bought.
Before his wage increase, there had been a $20 a week maximum for all players in the Football League.
That Max Wage was abolished in 1961, allowing Haynes to hit the jackpot.
Saliba, like most players these days, has an entourage who advise him. I am sure they will have spoken to PSG and said he would be available for the right price.
I suspect they know how much he asked for would be too much for Arsenal to pay, so PSG can get him cheap (only one year left on his contract).
If I was Arteta, I would sell him to PSG, and look for a replacement ASAP
JW – I’m glad there are people on this site like us who are old enough to remember the £100 a week Johnny Haynes. I brought this topic up a couple of days ago and no one commented about it. Probably many on here thought it might be some sort of a joke. Johnny probably felt he was rolling in it back then. How times have changed.
I’m not going to be too hard on Saliba because we can’t know for sure what’s going on “backstage”.
At least we know that contract negotiations are taking place, which is encouraging.
They are berating Arsenal for Saka’s contract now, but if Arsenal had refused his demands and let him leave, same fans would have still been here berating Arsenal. You just can’t satisfy everyone.
If Saliba thinks what has been offered isn’t good enough and the club sees no reason to give him what he is demanding, then let him go. Enough with the rising emotions.
When Jesus got injured, and Nkethia came in, and was doing well, we were all praising him, now he is suddenly not worth a 100k and someone said Saliba is worth 3 times what he is worth.
Fans here just love to always speak from emotions when it comes to those they like, irrespective of whether the coach is doing the right thing or not.
Let the Manager and the club do whatever they deem right, and Saliba do whatever he feels best for himself. Simple.