Arsene Wenger says that the priority for top players remains to play "the best football with the best players in the best league".
And that’s why he thinks that even the huge money on offer in China does not make it more attractive than the Premier League.
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The boss was asked about China, Alexis and wage levels when he spoke to daily newspaper reporters on Friday.
Here’s what he said:
on whether huge wage offers are destabilising…
Always, but we must accept that modern life has changed a little bit. We always had wages structures that were respected and players earn so much money now that the cases have become much more individual than global. You have many different opinions there. Some people tell me ‘just give him what he wants’. But then you cannot respect anymore any wages structure and you put the club in trouble as well.
on whether certain players like Alexis are worth it…
That is why you have to make the decision in an objective way. Always the club has to be the priority. I understand as well that top players are a big priority but at the end of the day even for important players you can only pay as much as you can afford.
on the lure of China…
I think every club and every player has to make decisions. Where are your priorities, where do you want to play? I think the first priority for top players is play to best football with the best players in the best league. You go to China because you earn big money, but you make big money in England as well. So the best combination of playing at the top and earning big money is in England at the moment. So China for me is not a debate.
on China inflating salaries…
It certainly contributes to the imagination of the players.
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