ARSENAL GET TOUGH WITH PAY REBELS
ARSENAL are ready to let Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy leave rather than cave in to their pay demands.
The France internationals have just a year left on their contracts with Nasri demanding more than £6m a year to sign a new one – an increase of over 100 per cent which would see him earn more than skipper Cesc Fabregas.
Clichy, who is on £2.5m, wants Arsenal to match the £4m he can get at Liverpool but an Arsenal source said: “We are not going to be held to ransom. If they think they can get that sort of money elsewhere, good luck to them.
“These kind of figures are just not realistic for us to pay. The trouble is the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea have moved the goalposts with the sort of contracts they are handing out.”
Talks have rumbled on for weeks and despite Arsene Wenger speaking to Nasri and his representatives again recently, a compromise looks no closer.
“It may be Clichy will leave,” added the source.
The left-back has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Roma, Inter Milan as well as Liverpool, but no bids have been made.
Despite insisting he wants Clichy to stay, Wenger has England international Kieran Gibbs waiting in the wings. Gibbs has made it clear he does not want to spend another year as Clichy’s back-up.
Arsenal look set to stand firm on Nasri, with Manchester United’s interest in the attacking midfielder appearing to cool.
If no new contract is agreed Nasri can leave The Emirates on a free in a year, which would guarantee him a huge cash bonanza.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/198583/Arsenal-get-tough-with-pay-rebels/