The growing pay divide among the Arsenal squad is reportedly causing dressing room unrest at the Emirates Stadium.
Manager Arsene Wenger previously maintained a balanced wage structure, based on a "socialist" model, but the recent arrivals of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan - and Mesut Ozil's lucrative new contract - have compromised that.
Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang are raking in £200,000 and £180,000 per week respectively, while Ozil's latest deal has him earning £350,000 per week, salaries which are said to dwarf that of many of their teammates.
According to The Times, there is growing resentment among the Gunners squad towards the club's top earners.
Several Arsenal players, including Jack Wilshere, have reportedly been told that they will have to take a pay cut in order to renew their contract, while new deals for Aaron Ramsey, Danny Welbeck and Nacho Monreal are yet to be discussed.
The news comes at a time when Arsenal are in crisis, with Wenger under intense fan pressure to step down after a run of five defeats in six in all competitions cost the Gunners the EFL Cup and left them 13 points outside of the Champions League positions.
Mark Langshaw
