MARTIN ODEGAARD will sit 23rd among the top Arsenal earners – behind flop goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson.
The Real Madrid playmaker, 22, is on the brink of completing his loan switch to the Emirates until the end of the season.
Martin Odegaard is set to join Arsenal on loan with the Gunners paying his £38,000-a-week wagesCredit: AFP or licensors
Arsenal are expected to pay around £1.8million in a loan fee and pick up his £38,000-a-week wages.
But that is way down on the list of the Gunners’ high-paid stars.
Mesut Ozil’s departure means his £350,000-a-week wages are off the bill at the Emirates.
And according to Spotrac, it leaves Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Thomas Partey as the top earners on £250,000 per week after they put pen to paper on contracts last summer.
Free transfer Willian is third on around £192,000 while Alexandre Lacazette is fourth, £10,000 further back.
Right-back Hector Bellerin rakes in around £110,000 per week at the Emirates.
Then quartet Bernd Leno, Granit Xhaka, Nicolas Pepe and David Luiz are all on £100,000.
Gabriel Martinelli’s £90,000-a-week pay packet completes the top ten, alongside Shkodran Mustafi.
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Arsenal squad wages in full
1= Aubameyang £250,000
1= Partey £250,000
3 Willian £192,000
4 Lacazette £182,000
5 Bellerin £110,000
6= David Luiz £100,000
6= Leno £100,000
6= Pepe £100,000
6= Xhaka £100,000
10= Martinelli £90,000
10= Mustafi £90,000
12 Pablo Mari £85,000
13= Holding £80,000
13= Tierney £80,000
15 Cedric £75,000
16 Ceballos £51,000
17= Chambers £50,000
17= Elneny £50,000
17= Gabriel £50,000
20 Nketiah £45,000
21= Runarsson £40,000
21= Saliba £40,000
23 Odegaard £38,000
24 Maitland-Niles £35,000
25 Saka £30,000
27= Smith Rowe £20,000
27= Willock £20,000
29 Nelson £15,000
Icelandic goalkeeper Runarsson arrived at the Emirates on £40,000 per week as back-up to Leno.
But he has struggled when given a chance in the first team leading to Mat Ryan’s arrival on loan from Brighton.
Runarsson’s wages are the same as William Saliba – who has joined Nice on loan – and just edge Odegaard.
All those behind Odegaard are academy graduates including in-form duo Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
Saka signed a new contract last year while Smith Rowe has reportedly been offered a bumper pay rise to £40,000 per week.
Ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith, however, is worried the Odegaard signing could flop – just like Denis Suarez’s two years ago.
He said: “He’s had his problems developing at Real Madrid and the last thing Arsenal want is to get somebody in who can’t offer anything.
“You think back to Denis Suarez who came to the club and physically he just wasn’t ready and then he picked up injuries.
“It was a bit of an embarrassment in the end, so hopefully they will do their homework on Odegaard.”
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Flop goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson is on £40,000 per week at the EmiratesCredit: Reuters
Martin Odegaard shows off his skills at Real Madrid training
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
