LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 3 – Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal took the cheapest option available by handing Mesut Ozil a new Sh 50mn (£350,000) a week contract at the Emirates.
Ozil ended months of speculation over his future by penning a new three-year deal this week after his previous contract had been due to expire in the summer.
But despite Ozil becoming the highest paid player in Arsenal’s history, Wenger believes it was still preferable to the outlay on entering the transfer market for a replacement.
“When you let a player go you have to buy somebody of the same calibre and if you add the wages needed it will be similar,” he said.
“On top of that we have to pay a transfer. So overall I think Mesut for us was the cheapest option.”
With Ozil staying at the club and Arsenal bringing in Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January window, Wenger now has a wealth of attacking riches to use alongside striker Alexandre Lacazette.
And he admits that there could be occasions when all four players are used together.
Wenger added: “I will try to find a way to do it. We play so many games that everyone will get games. It’s always possible. Will I do it? Maybe. I don’t know. But I think it’s possible, yes.
“You need at least two top strikers in the Premier League, because if one is injured then you have a problem.
“Would I rather win 4-3? That is not the solution I like — I like the four, but I don’t like the three.”