In light of the recent wage plea that was agreed by the Arsenal squad and the club management, recent reports surfacing have suggested that German playmaker Mesut Ozil is one of three players who have rejected the wage cut proposal.
The wage cut will see the players’ wages get slashed by 12.5 per cent. However, the team would receive the down payment of the wages if they can qualify for the Champions League. Despite being placed in the 9th position, winning the FA Cup or being aided by a potential coefficient rule by UEFA could aid their chances of qualification.
The wage cut was introduced by the club management in order to prevent the club from financial constraints in the future considering the adverse effects of lack of football due to the ongoing global pandemic.
The English Premier League has been suspended for over a month and there is no set date as to when the league will return. There are chances of games being played behind closed doors if football resumes and it is possible for football to be postponed till the whole pandemic has been curtailed which cannot be predicted.
Therefore, if any of the two outcomes is the end result, it would have a bad effect on the team as money from ticket sales might ultimately be returned to fans. The club would lose in other aspects as well but they will be able to keep floating if expenses are well managed.
Another major reason why the wage cut is very important is that Arsenal has decided not to furlough the wages of non-playing staff. If they are to honour this pledge, then the wage cut by the players is pivotal to the sustenance of the pledge.
Despite being the highest-earning player at Arsenal, Ozil is known as a humanitarian who supports various charities around the world to save the lives of children and to aid the fight against certain diseases.
However, Ozil does have a right to disagree with the wage cut but it will be irrelevant as a vote from 75 per cent of the squad members is needed for the wage cut to be implemented. Therefore, Ozil and the other two players will be alienated.
Why is Ozil the only player being spoken about? What about the other two players who supposedly rejected the wage cut deal? It is obvious that this is a direct attack on the former Real Madrid player who has had a turbulent relationship with the Arsenal fans in recent years due to below-par performances.
However, under new head coach Mikel Arteta, the magician as fondly called by Arsenal fans seems to have found his feet and seemed to be flying in good form just before the season got suspended. Arteta has repeatedly expressed his desire for Ozil to stay and how important he is to the development of the squad.
In order to set the record straight and avoid serious backlash from Arsenal fans, a statement by Ozil or Arsenal would help to clear the air.
