Arsenal could be forced to offload both Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck in the summer owing to their decision to extend Mesut Ozil’s contract on club-record wages.
The Germany international inked a fresh three-and-a-half year deal during the final day of January, and his extension made him the club’s most expensive player on a salary of around £350,000-a-week.
According to The Mail, the club now face the difficulty in convincing both Ramsey and Welbeck to extend their existing deals with the duo likely to demand a significant rise on their current wages.
Both players have entered the final 18 months of their respective contracts, and it is reported that the club want a decision made between now and the summer, else they may have to part ways with their services.
Out of the duo, Ramsey has been more of a regular in the Gunners line-up, and he is expected to demand a significant hike on his £110,000-a-week salary after overseeing winter signings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan command a £200,000 weekly package last month.
Meanwhile, the club are still in discussions over a fresh deal for Jack Wilshere, and with only five months, they are facing the prospect of losing the midfielder on a free transfer in the summer, with Liverpool deemed to be interested.
Other than this, the club still have to act on the futures of left-back Nacho Monreal as well as goalkeeping duo David Ospina and Petr Cech.
Although the latter could be allowed to leave with Arsene Wenger seemingly on the search for a new shot-stopper, preferably Jan Oblak from Atletico Madrid.
