Wenger discusses wage structure as Walcott saga rumbles on

Saturday, January 5, 2013
10:43 PM

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has yet to agree a new deal, but Wenger remains confident a compromise can be reached to keep the England forward at Arsenal past the end of the season.

With figures of around £100,000 a week being touted as the going rate to secure the 23-year-old’s signature, Arsenal are likely to have to push the boundaries of their wage structure to seal the deal.

Wenger, though, maintains so long as the financial commitment does not put an excess strain on the well-managed club coffers, then there should be no issue with loosening the purse strings to make sure another key player does not leave.

“As long as our business is organised in a way where we do not need any help from anybody, and pay our people with our resources, it’s defendable economically,” Wenger said.

“You can always say ‘is it enough? Is it too much or not enough?’, that becomes a more philosophical question.

“But as long as the economical balance is respected and you pay the people who work for the club with the resources you created, it makes economical sense. That’s why I always defend our model.

“We pay very well. I did fight all my life to pay people who work people for us well. I believe if you can afford to do it, you do it.”

Arsenal do not have the wage disparity in the dressing room of some of their big-spending rivals.

Wenger feels that policy is sound.

He added: “We get something that makes sense and that is defendable in front of every single player.

“We make exceptions as well sometimes, but the exceptions are maybe not as high (as elsewhere). If we want to keep making profit, we have to accept that.”