China’s spending frightens Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger
Long-serving manager worried huge wages on offer will cause upheaval
Arsene Wenger fears the huge wages being offered by big-spending Chinese clubs could cause problems when the Premier League teams look to negotiate new contracts with their star players.
Wenger is currently locked in talks with Arsenal duo Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez as the pair reportedly seek parity with the best-paid players in the Premier League.
The Arsenal manager is hoping for successful resolutions to those contract stand-offs, but he believes the money on offer in the Chinese Super League may persuade the Premier League’s star names to ask for even bigger pay packets to stay in England.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been linked with a move to China, with an offer of £600,000-per-week (HK$5.7 million) reportedly on the table for the Spain international.
Two of his former Chelsea team-mates, Oscar and John Obi Mikel, have already moved to Super League outfits, while former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez became the highest-earning player in the world when he joined Shanghai Shenhua in December.
“That’s the danger, that the Chinese offers become the benchmark for Europe,” Wenger said when asked if the money on offer in China could complicate negotiations with top players.