Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are seeking parity with the Premier League’s top earners to stay at Arsenal.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is currently paid the highest wage in English football at £290,000-a-week and Standard Sport understands both Sanchez and Ozil are demanding a comparable figure to reflect their status in the world game.

The pair have just over 18 months left on their current contracts and talks have reached something of an impasse – particularly with Sanchez – as Arsenal would have to shatter their current salary structure to accommodate their requests.

Ozil is already the highest paid player at the club on £140,000-a-week, £10,000 more than Sanchez. Arsene Wenger had previously been adamant that no individual should earn more than the manager and his £8million per season wage equates to £160,000-a-week.

It is believed that Arsenal have subsequently indicated they are prepared to offer a wage close to £200,000-a-week but that is unlikely to satisfy either player, especially with Manchester City and Juventus among a host of clubs closely monitoring their respective situations.

United pay the three highest salaries in the country with Wayne Rooney (£260,000-a-week) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (£250,000-a-week) behind Pogba but Sanchez and Ozil believe their performances place them alongside the game’s leading stars.

In September, Sanchez was quoted by Spanish daily newspaper Sport as saying: “I have reached a level where I can compete with great players. I do not feel inferior to anybody.

“I liken my qualities to [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo. I have the same abilities as them.”

Ronaldo signed a new deal last month worth £365,000-a-week while Messi is in talks with Barcelona over an extension which would see him surpass that figure.

Squawka's top performing London Premier League stars 20 show all Squawka's top performing London Premier League stars 1/20 Eden Hazard It took Hazard just nine league games to match last season's tally of four this campaign. The Chelsea forward has nine goals overall, and has also won more fouls than any Premier League player this season (44). AFP/Getty Images 2/20 Alexis Sanchez Aside from being involved in 11 goals this season (8 goals, 3 assists), no London-based player has successfully executed more through-balls than Alexis Sanchez in the league this season. Getty Images 3/20 Dimitri Payet Has created more chances than any Premier League player this season (46). West Ham United via Getty Images 4/20 Mesut Ozil Has completed more passes in the final third than any player across Europe's top five leagues this season (327). BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images 5/20 Diego Costa Is the Premier League's top scorer, with 10 goals this season. Jan Kruger/Getty Images 6/20 Cesar Azpilicueta Averages 55 successful passes per 90 game, more than any London-based player in the Premier League. LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images 7/20 Nemanja Matic Only Kevin De Bruyne has more Premier League assists this season (7). AFP/Getty Images 8/20 N'Golo Kante Has made more interceptions in the opponents' half than any Premier League player this season (17). AFP/Getty Images 9/20 Jan Vertonghen Has made more clearances than any Premier League player this season (124). Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 10/20 Gary Cahill Is part of a Chelsea defence that is yet to commit a defensive error in the league since the switch to 3-4-3. Getty Images 11/20 Laurent Koscielny Is yet to commit a foul of any kind in a Premier League away game this season (six apps). Getty Images 12/20 Shkodran Mustafi Has yet to lose a game with Arsenal in any competition. Icon Sport via Getty Images 13/20 Theo Walcott Has already beaten last season's tally for Premier League goals (6). Getty Images 14/20 Christian Eriksen Is Tottenham's most creative in the league this season, having laid on 27 chances. AFP/Getty Images 15/20 James McArthur Has scored as many league goals this season (4) as across the rest of his Palace career combined. Getty Images 16/20 Victor Wanyama Wanyama has made more tackles (25) and completed more passes (622) in the Premier League than any other Spurs player this season AFP/Getty Images 17/20 Manuel Lanzini Has been successful in 73% of his attempts to take the ball past a defender in the league this season (19/26). Getty Images 18/20 Kyle Walker Has created more Premier League chances than any London-based defender this season (13). Getty Images 19/20 Etienne Capoue With five strikes in the league, has scored over a quarter of Watford's total number of goals this season (17). Steve Bardens/Getty Images 20/20 Heung-min Son Has been directly involved in more league goals (4 goals, two assists) in 10 appearances this term. More than the whole of last season. Getty Images 1/20 Eden Hazard It took Hazard just nine league games to match last season's tally of four this campaign. The Chelsea forward has nine goals overall, and has also won more fouls than any Premier League player this season (44). AFP/Getty Images 2/20 Alexis Sanchez Aside from being involved in 11 goals this season (8 goals, 3 assists), no London-based player has successfully executed more through-balls than Alexis Sanchez in the league this season. Getty Images 3/20 Dimitri Payet Has created more chances than any Premier League player this season (46). West Ham United via Getty Images 4/20 Mesut Ozil Has completed more passes in the final third than any player across Europe's top five leagues this season (327). BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images 5/20 Diego Costa Is the Premier League's top scorer, with 10 goals this season. Jan Kruger/Getty Images 6/20 Cesar Azpilicueta Averages 55 successful passes per 90 game, more than any London-based player in the Premier League. LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images 7/20 Nemanja Matic Only Kevin De Bruyne has more Premier League assists this season (7). AFP/Getty Images 8/20 N'Golo Kante Has made more interceptions in the opponents' half than any Premier League player this season (17). AFP/Getty Images 9/20 Jan Vertonghen Has made more clearances than any Premier League player this season (124). Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 10/20 Gary Cahill Is part of a Chelsea defence that is yet to commit a defensive error in the league since the switch to 3-4-3. Getty Images 11/20 Laurent Koscielny Is yet to commit a foul of any kind in a Premier League away game this season (six apps). Getty Images 12/20 Shkodran Mustafi Has yet to lose a game with Arsenal in any competition. Icon Sport via Getty Images 13/20 Theo Walcott Has already beaten last season's tally for Premier League goals (6). Getty Images 14/20 Christian Eriksen Is Tottenham's most creative in the league this season, having laid on 27 chances. AFP/Getty Images 15/20 James McArthur Has scored as many league goals this season (4) as across the rest of his Palace career combined. Getty Images 16/20 Victor Wanyama Wanyama has made more tackles (25) and completed more passes (622) in the Premier League than any other Spurs player this season AFP/Getty Images 17/20 Manuel Lanzini Has been successful in 73% of his attempts to take the ball past a defender in the league this season (19/26). Getty Images 18/20 Kyle Walker Has created more Premier League chances than any London-based defender this season (13). Getty Images 19/20 Etienne Capoue With five strikes in the league, has scored over a quarter of Watford's total number of goals this season (17). Steve Bardens/Getty Images 20/20 Heung-min Son Has been directly involved in more league goals (4 goals, two assists) in 10 appearances this term. More than the whole of last season. Getty Images

Sanchez underlined his talismanic importance to the Gunners with a hat-trick in Saturday’s 5-1 win at West Ham while Ozil scored his eighth goal of the season at London Stadium.

Ozil is settled in north London and therefore more inclined to reach a compromise but Sanchez’s future is less certain with both players desperate to challenge for Premier League and Champions League success.

Wenger’s future complicates the situation somewhat with the Frenchman yet to publicly confirm he will stay at the club once his current deal expires next summer, although it is believed he is currently leaning towards extending his contract once again.

Fluctuations in the strength of the pound over the last few months as the British government formulates a Brexit strategy have also meant an increase in real-term cost to Arsenal in any possible agreement.

The club remain hopeful that they will reach an agreement with both players below, but competitive with, Pogba, Rooney and Ibrahimovic and further talks are planned in the coming weeks.

Arsenal's greatest players 10 show all Arsenal's greatest players 1/10 Thierry Henry As voted for by Arsenal fans in 2008 David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images 2/10 Dennis Bergkamp 3/10 Tony Adams 4/10 Ian Wright 5/10 Patrick Vieira 6/10 Robert Pires 7/10 David Seaman 8/10 Liam Brady 9/10 Charlie George 10/10 Pat Jennings 1/10 Thierry Henry As voted for by Arsenal fans in 2008 David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images 2/10 Dennis Bergkamp 3/10 Tony Adams 4/10 Ian Wright 5/10 Patrick Vieira 6/10 Robert Pires 7/10 David Seaman 8/10 Liam Brady 9/10 Charlie George 10/10 Pat Jennings

Arsenal flew to Switzerland this afternoon for their final Champions League Group A match against Basel. Wenger is expected to rotate his squad with top spot only a remote possibility after drawing 2-2 with Paris St Germain in their previous outing. PSG only have to beat Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets Razgrad at home to guarantee first place.

You can follow this week's clash between Arsenal and FB Basel live on Standard Sport. Click here to find out how.