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#7 Sead Kolasinac (Defender) - £100,000 per week
Like most of Arsenal’s defenders, Sead Kolasinac has had an up-and-down 2019-20 campaign. The Bosnian international started under unfortunate circumstances as he was the victim of an attempted carjacking. And he’s since gone onto make 28 appearances with massively varied results.
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At times, Kolasinac has been outstanding – he was named Man of the Match in the Gunners’ recent victory over Wolves. But at other times he’s been infuriating, as he showed when his errant pass led to a goal conceded against Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham.
Kolasinac clearly has talent but unless he can find more consistency in his game in 2020-21, his time at the Emirates could be limited. His current £100k-per-week contract reportedly expires in 2022.
#6 Hector Bellerin (Defender) - £110,000 per week
Considering he broke onto the scene in the 2014-15 season, it’s hard to believe that Hector Bellerin is still only 25 years old. The Spaniard has been one of Arsenal’s outstanding performers in the years that have followed and was even named in the PFA’s Team of the Year in the 2015-16 campaign.
However, he’s found things a little more difficult recently. Bellerin was sidelined with a serious knee injury in January 2019 and spent months on the shelf. Although he returned in September 2019, the Gunners haven’t really seen the best of him since.
With his form slowly beginning to improve in recent weeks though, it appears likely that he’ll be a key player for Mikel Arteta in the 2020-21 campaign.
#5 David Luiz (Defender) - £125,673 per week
One of Arsenal’s most controversial signings in recent times, Brazilian defender David Luiz was brought to the Emirates from Chelsea in the summer of 2019. The 33-year old was supposed to help to shore up the Gunners’ defence. But instead, he’s made a number of costly mistakes leading to goals.
In Arsenal’s recent loss to Manchester City, for instance, Luiz became the first player to receive a red card, commit a foul leading to a penalty, and commit an error leading to a goal in a Premier League match for five years.
However, rather than allow him to depart the Emirates at the end of his contract this summer, Luiz has instead been signed to a one-year extension with the club. As one of Arsenal’s highest-paid players on over £125k per week, Gunners fans will be hoping his performances improve in 2020-21.
#4 Nicolas Pepe (Winger) - £140,000 per week
Arsenal’s record signing, Nicolas Pepe cost a massive £72m in the summer of 2019 when the club signed him from French side Lille. And while the Ivorian international has not yet justified that huge transfer fee, he’s shown enough flashes of his ability to suggest that he may well do in the future.
A dangerous dribbler who also possesses a wicked shot – particularly from dead-ball situations – Pepe has made 38 appearances this season. He's scored eight goals and registered eight assists. He’s also been named as Man of the Match by WhoScored.com on seven occasions.
At 25 years old, it’s safe to say that the best is yet to come from Pepe. And assuming Mikel Arteta looks to develop him, he could be a key man for the Gunners in the 2020-21 campaign. If that’s the case, then he may finally justify his transfer fee – as well as his £140k-per-week wages.
#3 Alexandre Lacazette (Striker) - £182,063 per week
French striker Alexandre Lacazette was signed in the summer of 2017 for a club-record €53m from Lyon. However, his arrival was quickly overshadowed just months later by Arsenal’s acquisition of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He's performed well since then and was named the club’s Player of the Season in 2018-19. But he’s also found himself in and out of the Gunners’ first team.
Lacazette has scored 48 goals in 123 appearances for Arsenal to date. For a while, it appeared that he was looking set to leave the club this summer. However, his recent performances – two goals in as many games – may convince Mikel Arteta to change his mind.
At 29 years old, Lacazette still has plenty to offer for the Gunners. Although the fact that his current deal expires in 2022 may make them consider cashing in on him while they still can.
#2 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Forward) - £200,000 per week
Despite earning a hefty £200k per week, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future at the Emirates is under question right now. The Gabon international’s current contract expires in the summer of 2022. And Arsenal are desperately attempting to ensure he signs another one that will keep him at the club for much longer.
It’s easy to see why, too. Since signing him for around £56m at the start of 2018, he’s been an absolute revelation. Despite not always being deployed as a pure striker, his goalscoring record for the Gunners has been phenomenal. He’s made 105 appearances and has scored 64 goals, winning the Premier League’s Golden Boot in the 2018-19 season with 22 goals.
Despite turning 31 years old last month, Aubameyang has shown no signs of slowing down. And if Arsenal can indeed ink him to a new contract – even if they have to improve his current £200k-per-week deal – it’ll be well worth it.
#1 Mesut Ozil (Midfielder) - £350,000 per week
Not only is German international Mesut Ozil Arsenal’s highest-paid player, but he’s also one of the most highly paid players in the entire Premier League. Ozil makes more per week than the likes of Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane and Paul Pogba.
Unfortunately, it’d probably be tricky to find a Gunners fan who believes that Ozil is worth the money. When the 31-year old was signed from Real Madrid back in 2013, he was seen as a real statement signing. The kind of player that could take Arsenal back to the top of the game.
That simply hasn’t happened, though. While Ozil has made over 250 appearances for the Gunners and scored 44 goals – winning three FA Cups along the way – his influence has waned dramatically in recent years. Quite why Arsenal were willing to ink him to such a hefty new contract in 2018 remains somewhat of a mystery.
With his current deal running until 2021, there’s every chance that Arsenal simply allow him to leave the club for free once it expires. It’s unlikely that another side would be willing to match £350k per week. But given he hasn’t played a single minute since the Premier League’s June restart, it seems his Arsenal career is dead in the water.
