Arsenal are prepared to sell contract rebels Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy.
The Daily Star says the France internationals have just a year left on their contracts with Nasri demanding more than £6m a year to sign a new one - an increase of over 100 per cent which would see him earn more than skipper Cesc Fabregas.
Clichy, who is on £2.5m, wants Arsenal to match the £4m he can get at Liverpool but an Arsenal source said: "We are not going to be held to ransom. If they think they can get that sort of money elsewhere, good luck to them.
"These kind of figures are just not realistic for us to pay. The trouble is the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea have moved the goalposts with the sort of contracts they are handing out."
Talks have rumbled on for weeks and despite Arsene Wenger speaking to Nasri and his representatives again recently, a compromise looks no closer.
"It may be Clichy will leave," added the source.