Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has declined to give his view on whether first-team players at the club should earn broadly similar salaries, saying the matter should be handled by Andrea Berta and the board of directors.
Arteta was asked about Arsenal’s wage structure after the London club completed their pre-season schedule with a victory over Como on penalties on Wednesday.
The Arsenal manager was speaking to journalists after the match, which was the final friendly before the start of the club’s competitive campaign. Rather than offering an opinion on how salaries should be distributed, Arteta said his responsibility was to make sure every player remained committed and valued within the squad.
“I will leave that question to Andrea Berta and the board of directors. My job is to get the maximum out of every player, create a strong bond between them and help each one feel important to the team regardless of their salary,” Arteta said, according to ArsenalRadar.
The issue of wages can be particularly significant within a football squad, where differences in earnings may affect perceptions of status and importance. Arteta, however, emphasised the role of team connection and individual contribution rather than the financial terms of players’ contracts.
His comments came immediately after Arsenal’s penalty shootout success against Como, their last match before the new season begins. The result provided the final competitive preparation for the reigning English champions ahead of their next fixture.
Arsenal will play Manchester City in the English Super Cup on Sunday, 16 August. That match will be the London club’s next opportunity to assess their readiness for the campaign in a competitive setting.
Arteta’s response leaves decisions about the club’s salary structure with Andrea Berta and the board, while he concentrates on performance, relationships within the squad and ensuring that every player has an important role.
