---
title: "Wenger thinks Özil contract was cheapest option for Arsenal"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2018/02/02/wenger-thinks-ozil-contract-cheapest-option-arsenal/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Elliott Cuff"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2018-02-02T23:17:14Z"
modified: "2018-02-02T23:17:14Z"
---

# Wenger thinks Özil contract was cheapest option for Arsenal

Arsene Wenger believes that handing Mesut Özil the most expensive contract in Arsenal’s history was the “cheapest option” available to the club.

Yesterday the club officially confirmed that the German midfielder had signed an extension until 2021, which would reportedly see him earn around £350,000-a-week.

That is over double his previous wage figure of around £140,000-a-week, and apparently double that of new signing duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Arsenal are in the midst of restructuring their wage bill – a task aided by the January departures of Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud, Francis Coquelin and Mathieu Debuchy – and Wenger claims the potential outlay in finding another player of Ozil’s quality convinced the club to improve their offer in excess of £250,000-a-week to the German. Wenger said;

> When you let a player go you have to buy somebody of the same calibre and if you add the transfer needed and the wages will be similar. On top of that we have to pay a transfer \[fee\].
>
> So, overall I think Mesut for us was the cheapest option. On the other side, all of our players are well paid. Very well paid. To feel sorry for them – I’m not sure that it’s the most objective assessment.

Meanwhile, Aubameyang is a doubt to start against Everton on Saturday, but he will be looking to get going as quick as possible, with the Gabon international looking to put his rebellious reputation behind him for good. Wenger though, doesn’t feel he would be an issue at all. He said;

> I don’t think that is a problem. He spent four years in Germany and has had some problems in the last year that were linked with the fact that maybe his transfer did not work in the summer and he did not have the same commitment as he had before.
>
> I am quite confident that this will be a new challenge for him and overall his behaviour will be fine. I know him from France – he played for St Etienne and Bastia – and usually his behaviour was never a problem. He is a professional guy.