Pay-rise behind £10m Arsenal star’s talks with City - reports

Arsenal star Gael Clichy is set to receive a huge pay-rise at Manchester City, with Arsene Wenger’s refusal to meet the star’s demands the real reason he left the London club, according to the Independent.

Manchester City were reportedly offering a deal to the Arsenal man in the vicinity of £10 million, but the clincher in the deal for the France international is a wage rise from £58,000 a week (excluding bonuses) to more than £90,000.


 

Clichy is reportedly leaving talks to his agent while he is out of the country, and while Liverpool were also in the mix to forge a deal with Arsenal, the need for Champions League football and Manchester City’s big budget has put them ahead for Clichy’s signature.

Arsenal have said they hope to keep Clichy, but with Kieron Gibbs available to take over the left-back position, a move wouldn’t overly hurt Arsene Wenger, and the French manager will most likely not increase Clichy’s wage to meet offers by City or Liverpool for the star.

Clichy staging talks with Manchester City will be a huge blow for Liverpool, with Kenny Dalglish hoping to sign the star to fill the left-back position that has long been missing from the Merseyside team.