ionigeria.com Nigerian Newspaper (Online)
ARSENAL boss Mikel Arteta has culled the squad since taking over in 2019 – and saved a fortune in the process.
Stats show the Spaniard has managed to almost HALVE the wage bill at the Emirates in the last year.
In 2020/21 the annual wage bill was £157million – now it is around £87.2m, according to finance website Capology.
Flogging Pierre Emerick Aubameyang on a free transfer to Barcelona has saved the Gunners £350,000-a-week on his wage alone.
Last January Arteta finally shunted Mesut Ozil and his £350,000-a-week salary out to Fenerbahce.
In the summer he also managed to get mega-flop Willian out the door. The Brazilian was believed to be earning almost £200,000-week.
Alexandre Lacazette is next on £182,115-a-week, with Nicolas Pepe, who still has lots to prove, on £140,000-a-week.
Arteta has even managed to get the annual wage bill lower than the notoriously frugal Arsene Wenger had it in his final years as Gunners boss.
Alexis Sanchez on an astronomical £350,000-a-week was top of the pile during Wenger’s latter years.
Gunners’ fans will also hate being reminded of Henrikh Mkhitaryan being paid £200,000-a-week.
Unai Emery was the man tasked with replacing Wenger – but he didn’t last long.
The following 2018/19 season the Londoners started out at £137m before Emery was sacked in November.
While Arteta has pleased many Gooners with some of the exits, it’s fair to say fans wanted to see a bit more action in the winter transfer window.
Youth prospect Lino Sousa, 17, was the only January arrival for the Gunners as he joined from West Brom and signed his first professional contract.
Goalkeeper Matt Turner will join from New England Revolution in the summer while Auston Trusty was signed and loaned back to Colorado Rapids.
The Gunners missed out on Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic as he decided to join Juventus instead.
