According to a recent report by The Daily Mirror, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil among three Arsenal players refusing to take a pay-cut of 12.5% amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being the Gunners’ highest earner (£350,000-a-week), the German midfielder has made his intentions clear that he won’t be taking a cut at the moment. However, he is willing to do so in the future, depending upon the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
It is believed that Ozil is one of three Arsenal players to have decided to not accept a pay cut with his agent Dr Erkut Sogut refusing to comment on the situation. However, Sogut had hinted what was about to transpire earlier this month when he said (via The Daily Mirror), “Deferral is an option but not to agree a cut today when the clubs may still make the same profit as last year.
“What the exact financial impact is on the clubs, we can see three to six months later – but we can’t see it today.”
The North London giants have so far declined to comment on the matter as they regard this issue as the players’ personal business. This latest development follows after Arsenal became the first Premier League side to agree on pay-cuts after ten days of intensive discussions with their players.
The proposal will be for the players to take a 12.5% financial hit for the next 12 months until March 2021. However, the North London club have promised to pay their wages in full if they can secure UEFA Champions League qualification either in this campaign or the next. The Gunners chiefs are also willing to offer a £100,000 bonus to the players for their troubles because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arsenal have vowed to refund any money if a player who gets sold for a profit in the transfer market. It is also worth noting that Mikel Arteta’s players will only get 7.5% of their wages back if they qualify for the UEFA Europa League but will be subjected to a full 12.5% pay cut if they fail to land European football this season or the next one.
Arteta along with 14 executive committee members of the North London club have also agreed to take 30% reduced wages to help the club cope with the financial impact of the pandemic but whether there is any light at the end of the tunnel for them, remains to be seen.
