Arsene Wenger

Arsenal have announced drastic new measures which will see players taking pay cuts for poor Champions League performances.

Arsenal have consistently performed well in the competition since Arsene Wenger took over as manager. The club have said there is nothing wrong with the proposals as many clubs have clauses in player contracts which are based around individual and team performances.

It’s a very shrewd move from the club if it goes through because the Champions League is the one competition which has eluded Arsene Wenger since he took over as manager 16 years ago.

Arsenal have a number of young players in their squad on the verge of new deals and such clauses could be a main talking point when negotiations start over renewals of these contracts.

An Arsenal spokesman said on the Guardian website:

“Each player has an individual contract that contains elements of performance-related payments, which are linked to a player’s individual contribution and also to the club’s progress in both domestic and European competitions.”

It is a slightly risky move in this respect because the younger players at the club such as Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and others may not like the idea of automatically playing under additional pressure.

In theory it’s a good idea because it will naturally encourage players to raise their game when it comes to the Champions League. However, it’s a little confusing over how the logistics of the move would work.

Jack Wilshere, Karl Jenkinson, Oxlaide-Chamberlain and Gibbs are all expected to be offered new deals in the near future. It’s unrealistic of the club to expect those players to agree to such clauses in a new contract unless the rest of the squad are in the same position.

If this doesn’t happen then what Arsenal are proposing will create disparity and enhances the chance of player unrest should a player’s wages or bonus be lost through the actions of another player out on the field.