Star duo must be retained

ARSENAL have been implored by former Gunners goalkeeper David Seaman t o splash t he cash to ensure Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez sign new deals.

The value of both Ozil and Sanchez to the North Londoners was evident in the Champions League win over Ludogorets on Wednesday as the former netted a hat-trick while the latter scored with a sumptuous lifted finish.

Both players are contracted until 2018 and Arsenal fans are eager to see the duo extend their stays having witnessed previous star players such as Ashley Cole, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie move on rather than agree new terms.

The adherence to one of the l e a g u e ’s m o r e balanced wage bills has proved a sticking point for the Gunners’ finest talent in the past, yet Seaman insists Ozil and Sanchez deserve to be paid handsomely.

Asked if t hey would need to break their wage structure to keep the pair, Seaman replied: “They will have to. These two are quality players so you give them what they deserve. If that’s the top wages at Arsenal then so be it.

“If everyone’s getting little rises here and there then it’s OK. I’ m not a manager but you’ve got to juggle that.

“I remember when I was playing, I was near the top, and it’s a juggling thing. You’ve got to make sure the players that influence the team the most are the players that get paid the most.”

Seaman spent over a decade at Arsenal, winning two doubles with them.

Mesut Ozil