Arsenal Transfer News: Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil Seek Paul Pogba Wage Parity

Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil want to earn comparable wages at Arsenal as Paul Pogba does at Manchester United, around £290,000 per week.

That's according to James Olley of the Evening Standard, who reported the Frenchman is the highest-paid player in the Premier League, earning more than double Sanchez and Ozil's respective £130,000 and £140,000 weekly salaries.

Olley added that Arsenal were prepared to break their strict wage structure for the pair by offering them deals in the region of £200,000 per week, but that would still leave them well short of Pogba and the division's other top earners. According to MailOnline's Joe Bernstein, Wayne Rooney earns £260,000 per week, Zlatan Ibrahimovic £250,000 and Manchester City's Sergio Aguero £240,000.

Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

Per Bernstein, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Chelsea's Eden Hazard are also on higher wages than the Gunners duo.

The pair are as valuable to Arsenal as the aforementioned players are to their respective clubs—even more so in the case of Rooney and Toure this season, as neither is a regular starter—so their desire to be rewarded similarly is understandable.

Sanchez netted a hat-trick as the Gunners thrashed West Ham United 5-1 at London Stadium on Saturday.

Goal's Chris Wheatley was in awe of the Chilean's majestic performance:

So too was Bleacher Report UK's James McNicholas, who hopes Arsenal will do what it takes to keep hold of him—even more so than Ozil:

Sanchez—who has moved up top this season—has notched an outstanding 13 goals and nine assists in all competitions thus far and has stepped up his efforts in lieu of Arsenal recruiting a world-class centre-forward.

Indeed, not only has the former Barcelona man increased his goal output—he's only two short of his Premier League total from last season—but he also runs tirelessly and uses his pace and dribbling skills to great effect.

As for Ozil, he too has been more clinical in front of goal of late, per OptaJoe:

The playmaker is even more valuable for the unrivalled creativity he brings to the team. According to Squawka, while he has only mustered four assists in all competitions this season, he has created 44 chances in 18 appearances.

Arsenal are second in the Premier League, having gone unbeaten in the league since their opening-day defeat to Liverpool.

The Reds, along with Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, will make winning the title extremely difficult for Arsenal this year, but if the Gunners do win the league, it will be in no small part due to the efforts of Ozil and Sanchez.

Arsenal are well-run financially, and that is to be commended, but if they want to attract and keep top stars, they need to be prepared to pay the going rate for them or they'll likely lose out.