It's really not the sign of the times.
Take a look at this.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...s-Arsenal.html
Carl Jenkinson joined us in summer 2011 and already in December 2012 we've bumped up his pay with many years left on his contract.
Oxlade joins in the same year as Carl and we triple his pay to £60k in December 2012 half way through his 2nd season for us even though he's just signed a long term deal.
Jack Wilshere signed a £40k-£55k deal in November 2010 that would have had him here until 2015. He was originally on £15k. In December 2012 he signs another long term deal that puts him up to £80k to £85k. That was whilst he was out crocked for most of the season too. It wasn't performance related. From £15k to around £85k before he's 21. This off the back off 1 full season in the first team as a regular.
Ramsey signed a new deal in December 2012 and he's just signed a new contract again in March. He was on £60k then no idea what he's on now. £80k maybe? Just over a year into his new deal. :blink:
Does all this seem logical? Why are offering new deals to players less than two years into their new deals or first joining the club and they're already committed to long term deals? We've bumped up the wage bill for no reason. If they've signed new deals they're happy and have no intention of going, plus they have long contracts. There is no risk of them leaving. Rival clubs don't want them and they weren't unhappy with the original deals they signed. All this was happening in the midst of the Theo contract saga. We're signing up players with 3 maybe 4 years left on their deals, haven't reached their full potential, some have already had major injuries whilst we've got our top assister and scorer in the last year of his contract and we're pleading poverty! ;)