It looks like the days when players like Fabregas, Nasri, Vieira, Overmars or Anelka left the club for better paychecks are gone. According to the Daily Star, now that Arsenal are settled financially speaking, Ivan Gazidis is upping his financial game to another level, a level that allows the Gunners to compete with clubs like United, Chelsea, City, Barcelona, Real or Bayern. The club’s owner hinted that there will be no compromises in terms of signing contract extensions and that key players will no longer need to go elsewhere to get more money. There were rumors that Sanchez and Ozil are postponing their extension and that they are keen on leaving London if their financial expectations are not met.

Here is what Gazidis had to say when asked about what the future holds for star quality players who are looking to get an increase in pay:

“We have a good track record in recent season of retaining our key players, developing young players and attracting new players.

“I can’t get into a discussion on individual players but can assure you will apply the same focus, rigor and diligence to members of our current squad.

“I think you can see the direction of travel…”

Aside from the fact that players will be kept happy from a financial point of view, there’s also one other thing Wenger pointed out:

“I think this kind of players can raise a little bit above the financial aspect of the game because they are not poor and they have to look really at the football side.

“It is more about whether the club can meet their needs on the football front.

“If ‘yes’ then a Premier League club can find an agreement with the players. We still keep values we have at the club, of course, and we pay what we can afford.”

While it is true that money is an important factor in keeping players happy, there is also a mental factor that motivates those like Sanchez and Ozil. Arsenal are getting closer and closer to the top in both domestic and international competitions which, just as Wenger said, could be enough motivation to compensate for an extra £50.000 per week from a team that does not put much value on its players and simply splashes money around just to have an impressive lot which is not competing. Hopefully both Gazidis and Wenger are right and all of Arsenal’s star quality players will stick around to continue to build a strong and ultimately major honours winning team.