Arsenal should give their ‘best of the Emirates era’ a pay rise

In stark contrast to the recent international break, there is a real feel-good atmosphere Arsenal at the moment.

Instead of entering a long break after a devastating loss at Anfield, the Gunners sit top of the table. Premier League The table thanks to the routine victory over West Ham United and Chelsea scoring the winning goal in the last minute to take the three points from Liverpool.

Furthermore, there is now talk of expanding the UAE’s capacity in the not-too-distant future, and in more good news, David Raya He is reportedly getting a pay rise to reflect his importance to the team.

The Spaniard more than deserves his new spells, but he is not the only player in them Mikel Arteta Which team should get a new contract.

Why does Raya deserve a salary increase?

Interestingly, while reports on Reia’s new payment terms suggest the inclusion of an optional year in his contract, it is quite clear that this new deal does not actually increase the record number of years the Spaniard has left at the club.

This may seem a bit strange to some, and there’s certainly an argument to be made that it is, but there are some reasons why this wage is higher than makes sense.

Firstly, unlike when the former Brentford player was first signed and there was an element of doubt about who would be the club’s starting goalkeeper between him and Aaron Ramsdale, it is clear he is now one of the first names on the team sheet.

Therefore, it is true that his wages reflect his true importance to the team. He was paid £100,000 a week Before these new terms, he was earning less than 14 other players, including Mikel Merino, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke.

Secondly, in addition to starting most of the team’s matches, the 30-year-old is undoubtedly one of the best players in his position in the Premier League, if not Europe.

For example, he has won the league’s Golden Glove award in the last two seasons, and according to FBref, he is in the top 4% of goalkeepers in Europe’s top five leagues for percentage of blocked crosses, top 7% for clean sheets, top 8% for save percentage and more, all per 90.

Finally, from a purely social perspective, it keeps him happy and shows other players that consistent results will be rewarded, which in turn helps foster a better atmosphere.

With all that said, there is another player on the team who deserves the same treatment.

Arsenal star who deserves a raise like Rea

The good thing for Arteta and Arsenal is that, after a series of new deals agreed in the summer, there are not many players who can claim to be currently underpaid in the squad.

However, there is one international player who could make this argument, and he is someone who deserves at least a pay rise, if not a new deal: Goren Timber.

Yes, the former Ajax gem, who joined the club for around £38m in the summer of 2023, is a player who might be deserving of new terms at the moment, and based on reports this month, it looks like he could get one soon.

Being a right-back, and not leaning forward like Trent Alexander-Arnold or Jermaine Frimpong, means the Dutchman doesn’t always get the appreciation he deserves from the wider football community.

But since recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament injury, which ruled him out for almost the entire 23/24 season, the 24-year-old has been impressive, and his form this season makes it difficult to overlook him.

Like Declan Rice in midfield and Bukayo Saka on the wing, the monstrous defender rarely performs less than 7/10 and often no better.

In the words of Arsenal broadcaster Adam Keyes: It’s like “The winger’s map” thanks to his amazing anticipation, football intelligence and amazing physical ability. However, especially this season, he has also improved his attacking play, with the performance against Newcastle United being arguably his best attacking display since joining the club.

It is no surprise that the Utrecht-born giant’s underlying numbers this season back up the eye test and prove that he is reaching a level that few other full-backs can achieve.

According to FBref, he is in the top 2% of Premier League full-backs for actual and expected non-penalty goals, shot creation movements, progressive passes and tackles, top 7% for total shots and pass completions, top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area and more, all per 90.

In the end, taking all the factors into consideration, it’s hard to disagree with a respected analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that timber is “One of the best signings of the Emirates era.”

So, like Rea, he should get a pay raise as soon as possible, or better yet, get a brand new contract.