Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez have told Arsenal they have increased their wage demands and want £250,000-a-week to extend their contracts with the club, according to The Times.
The duo have been in talks over new deals for some time with no breakthrough yet made and negotiations are expected to continue after the current international break.
However, the Gunners will reportedly have to fork out an extra £36 million more than they expected to if the stars are to prolong their stays at the Emirates.
The club’s initial talks, which took place more than 12 months ago, discussed a deal worth £180,000-a-week for both players. Yet neither player was in a rush to conclude talks and put negotiations on hold in order to focus on their performances on the field.
Yet the two stars are reportedly now asking for an extra £70,000-a-week. Ozil’s current deal expires in the summer of 2018 while Sanchez is contracted until 2019.
Arsenal remain keen for both players to commit their futures to the club and would be loathe to lose either player who have become integral to the side and are huge fan favourites.
Ozil joined the club from Real Madrid in 2013 to much fanfare and was named the club’s player of the year last season after a superb campaign that saw him notch 19 assists.
Sanchez, meanwhile, has terrorised Premier League defences since joining from Barcelona. The Chile international scored 25 goals in his debut season before adding 17 last season and already tops the Gunners’ scoring charts for this campaign so far.
The duo’s importance to the club cannot be underestimated and supporters will be urging the club dip deep and ensure they both remain in north London.