Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry has weighed into the ongoing debate surrounding Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil's current contract stand-off with Arsenal and has suggested that both men must score hat-tricks every week, if they are to receive the £400k-a-weekthey reportedly want.
The contract saga has been rumbling on for several weeks now as both key players continue to stall over signing new deals, mainly because the duo are understood to be holding out for higher wages.
Gary Neville, Thierry Henry & Graeme Souness debate whether Ozil & Sanchez should be offered mega deals by Arsenal: https://t.co/ocXtbbNf9a pic.twitter.com/RgDJT9kkFa
Neither man is currently in the top 10 highest earners in the Premier League and believe that their value to Arsenal merits a position in that very list.
But whilst rumours continue to suggest that Ozil and Sanchez are keen to earn between £300k to £400k per week, club legend Thierry Henry has questioned whether they are currently worthy of such a hefty wage increase.
He told Sky Sports (as quoted by theMirror):"Those two players are vital for the future of the club, they have to secure that deal.
"But to what extent? I don't know if Arsene [Wenger] is going to pay those numbers. But if they don't sign, who are you going to bring after that? What's the future?
"At the moment they are holding the club hostage. They are amazing but if they are on that amount of money, I want a hat-trick every week “ and also when there's no game!
"You need to be in a situation where you've won something already for the club to ask for that amount of money."
What is Sanchez doing here exactly? If you want a hug, give Ozil one & wake him up. #afc pic.twitter.com/6dN0ylmqt3
Both players have come under criticism for indifferent performances during the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, which has seen Arsene Wenger's side slip further down the table.
They now sit in fourth place, just one point above fierce rivals Tottenham but perhaps more worryingly, are 9 points off of runaway leaders Chelsea.