Leave Arsenal and get richer!

By Aries

We all know that Arsene Wenger is the master at spotting young talent, developing the player into a star, getting his best years out of him and then selling him on for a large fee and huge profit to boot.

It is indeed very rare that the player will go on to be a better or greater star than before. But it seems he can get richer!

In a list of the 50 highest earning French sportsmen, published by the sports paper L’Equipe, two ex Arsenal players make it in the top 10.

Thierry Henry tops the list with earnings of 17.4 million euros (14m pounds) in 2007.

He succeeds Zinedine Zidane, who retired from competitive sport after the 2006 World Cup and has overtaken his close friend Basketball star Tony Parker of San Antonio Spurs in the USA who earned 9.6m euros (7.5m pounds).

One reason for this surprising difference is the new sources of revenue for the former Gunner.

He now receives his income in two different ways. While he earns a salary from its principal employer, Barcelona, he receives an extra income from six commercial deals he has signed up.

In moving to the Catalan city, Henry has almost doubled his salary in contrast to his buddy Tony Parker, who has signed a contract in 2005 for six years with the San Antonio Spurs for a “static” 66 million dollars (33m pounds).

Another ex Arsenal great Patrick Vieira comes in third place with an annual income of 8m euros (6.3m pounds) and Nicolas Anelka in sixth with 5.8 m euros (4.5 pounds).

Forty-three of the 50 people listed are football players and 37 play outside France.

One of them is Arsenal’s William Gallas who is at fifth spot with an annual income of 5.9m Euros (4.6m pounds). If he wants to increase that, like Henry and Vieira did, then he may begin to think about leaving Arsenal!

The list contains only two women -- tennis player Amelie Mauresmo and swimmer Laure Manaudou, joint 29th on 2.8 m euros.

Top 10 French earners (in euros)

1. Thierry Henry 17.4 M
2. Tony Parker 9.6 M (Basketball)
3. Patrick Vieira 8M
4. Djibril Cisse 7M
5. William Gallas 5.9 M
6. Nicolas Anelka 5.8 million
7. Lilian Thuram 5.7 M
8. Willy Sagnol 5.6 M
9. Claude Makelele 5.5 M
10. Sebastien Loeb 5.3 M (Motor Rally)

Globally, the largest income received in 2007 is by Tiger Woods (81.7m euros) ahead of boxer Oscar de la Hoya (40.1m euros).



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