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Alexis Sanchez Pay Raise Is Good For Mesut Ozil
Multiple outlets are reporting that Alexis Sanchez is currently in contract negotiations with Arsenal to make the Chilean superstar the highest paid player at the club. At the moment, Mesut Ozil is the club’s highest paid player, earning £140,000 a week. Alexis Sanchez is currently making £130,000 per week.
This new contract should see him eclipse the current salary of the German ace. Arsenal are also planning on opening talks with Ozil to extend his contract. He will most likely also be receiving a pay raise. Both players’ contracts run through 2018.
Since joining Arsenal from Barcelona last year Alexis Sanchez has made a tremendous impact. His energy and skill have lifted the fan base and even added to the excitement and style of Arsenal football. After scoring 16 goals and providing 8 assists in the league last year there is no doubt that Alexis was the best signing in EPL last season. He has already notched 5 goals in 7 starts this season and looks like a man on fire after his superb display against Manchester United.
Besides his fantastic stats and commendable work ethic, Alexis Sanchez is a box office player. His skill and athleticism alone are enough to fill the Emirates for years. Making Alexis Sanchez the highest earner in North London makes perfect sense.
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Ozil has not received as many plaudits as his Chilean counterpart, but there should be no mistaking his talent. Since Ozil has arrived in England the man has done nothing but win. Two FA Cups sandwich a World Cup trophy for the Turkish-born wizard and his arrival at Arsenal marked a clear shift in the clubs ideology. It can be argued that without the arrival of Mesut Ozil, the signing of Alexis Sanchez would have never happened. Ozil’s move from Real Madrid showed the world that Arsenal were once again serious about challenging for the highest honors in club football.
There is no reason that Ozil should feel slighted or spurned by Alexis’ usurpation of his highest-paid throne. The South American dynamo came into England with something to prove and has earned every penny of what he is about to receive. Ozil’s majestic style of football is much more subtle than the Chilean’s. Therefore most casual fans have trouble getting behind him or being overly impressed with his performances. Many still believe that he has not justified his £42.5 million transfer fee.
With this shift in the dynamic of the Arsenal dressing room I believe we will finally see the best out of both of these players.
When Ozil was at his very best he was playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Two players who could easily take the spotlight away from the beguiling German playmaker. Ozil does not want to be front and center. He would rather work his magic from the shadows going almost unnoticed by the opposition. There is a reason why Ronaldo dubbed Ozil “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”. He’s more than happy to be the provider rather than the finisher.
That is exactly why this change will be good for him. Now he will not have to be viewed as the end all be all for the Gunners. Of course a great deal is still expected of him but this no longer has to be a team he has to lead. The keys are firmly in Alexis’ capable hands.
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Furthermore, the pay raise which Alexis Sanchez will receive will surely keep him at the Emirates for the foreseeable future (barring the catastrophic) and that is something that Ozil desperately needs. In his first year with the Gunners Ozil started brightly but teetered out towards the end of the campaign. Of course he was adjusting to life in England but he was also adjusting to his teammates capabilities. Ozil is at his best when he has speedy players around him getting beyond defenders and latching on to his clever passes. With Alexis cementing a new deal that means Ozil will have his best possible running mate by his side.
We are starting to see what these two players can do together. This was evident when the duo essentially dismissed Manchester United on their own. Of course there are many important players in the Arsenal starting XI, but these two are the true game-breakers.
Finally, and most importantly, this is the perfect motivation for Mesut Ozil. He has been leapfrogged by a player who absolutely deserves to be the highest paid at the club. Now Ozil must go out and try to keep pace with him. If Alexis Sanchez can be in the conversation for player of the year in the EPL, then so should Mesut. I hope this recent power shift lights a fire under him to challenge his teammate/rival.
He does not have to change who he is. As I said before Ozil is happier to play second fiddle. However this should give him a target to aim for. Now he is not on a team where he is seen as the only truly world class player. As a competitor that should light a fire under him and allow Ozil to raise his game as high as Alexis Sanchez’s new salary.
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