Arsenal to give four stars big rises in salary

Arsenal are poised to reward arguably their four outstanding players of the season with improved contracts this summer.

Manager Arsene Wenger has made it a priority to tie up Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna on improved deals.

Representatives of the key first-team players will meet up with acting managing director Ken Friar within weeks as Wenger seeks to put an end to speculation linking Fabregas and Adebayor, in particular, with moves to the Continent.

The Arsenal boss has repeatedly said that it is just as much of an imperative to keep hold of his existing players as draft in new ones, an especially topical issue as Alexander Hleb prepares to follow Mathieu Flamini to Italy.

Wenger has a large input in contract discussions and will recommend that the quartet are given significant pay hikes that reflect their status.

Although Fabregas has six years remaining on his contract, which has annual increments built in, and earns about £60,000-a-week, Arsenal know it is a priority to make him the club's top earner to keep Barcelona and Real Madrid at bay.

Fabregas wants to stay, but his new advisers have told him that he now has 'galactico' status and should expect a contract to match.

Adebayor signed a two-year extension to his four-year contract last spring but he is in a strong negotiating position after scoring 30 goals last season.

While dismissing suggestions that he was seeking to leave the Gunners, the Togolese said this week that he would like to play for Barcelona one day, and while this comment may be designed to draw Arsenal to the negotiating table, he can expect an offer that nearly doubles his £35,000-a-week salary. Sagna has had a superb debut campaign and will seek a contract that doubles his £20,000-a-week wage.

His fellow Frenchman, Clichy, will also expect to join the squad's middle bracket of earners after establishing himself as Ashley Cole's successor at left-back.

The club's main attention will focus on keeping star men Fabregas and Adebayor happy.