Arsene Wenger is still remaining “optimistic” that Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will both sign contract extensions — but only if Arsenal deliver success on the pitch this season.
“I am optimistic on both [signing extensions],” Wenger said. “Look, both players are happy at the club. After, you have to meet their needs. Their needs are their desire for success and their needs are as well financial. I think if we can meet their needs on the pitch, there is more chance to extend their contracts.”
“Look, every club has a different policy and you have to respect that. You analyse the age and the money you get, and I don’t say I never do it because I did it as well with Robin van Persie at the time when he was at the end of his contract and Man United paid good money,” Wenger said. “It’s not ideal because you strengthen your opponent and you weaken your team.”
“It is a financial sacrifice [to run down their contracts]. It is a sacrifice that you have to calculate, how much it costs. If you let the player go [for a transfer fee] and you buy somebody you spend maybe more than you lose [by keeping them].
“And as well if you extend the contracts it costs you maybe more than you lose when you keep the player.
So you have to consider the length of the contract as well that the players want. So all that goes into consideration, the financial sacrifice is not as heavy as it looks.”
“The ratio between what the player will cost, what he brings back, this has gone. How can you quantify today what Neymar costs? Will he bring €300 million back [to Paris Saint-Germain]? It’s impossible to say. There is a part that is rational, and the other part is completely irrational: it is passion, ego, pride, you can call that how you want.
“How much is that worth financially? Maybe that’s down to every club. … I am a football manager, I want Sanchez to stay, and that’s it. After that, all the financial implications, for me, is less important. But at the end of the day you have to afford it as well. I want Sanchez to extend his contract. But as well you have to be capable to afford to pay him.”
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