By Andrew Warshaw

PUBLISHED: 17:28 EST, 22 December 2012 | UPDATED: 17:28 EST, 22 December 2012

Arsenal will lose some of their 30million a year sponsorship from main backers Emirates if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League in the future.

Manager Arsene Wenger has led the club into Europe's lucrative club competition every season he has been in charge.

Under pressure: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger

Under pressure: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger

But Arsenal are suffering their worst ever campaign under the Frenchman, are in danger of missing out on a trophy for the eighth straight year - and may yet struggle to qualify for Champions League football  next year.

Now the club's big backers, who have negotiated an extension on their contract to cover the five seasons from 2014-15, have disclosed they are taking precautions in case the club's Champions League revenue and exposure suddenly dry up.

Emirates senior vice-president Boutros Boutros confirmed that  the Dubai-based airline, which puts its name to both  the stadium and Arsenal's shirts, are planning to impose results-based precautions as part of any new deal.

'There are certain clauses, from 2015, that we pay them a percentage less if they don't perform,' said Boutros. 

'The Champions League is part of the new contract. It's just to keep them on their toes.

'It's fair to us and fair to them.'

Boutros insisted that Arsenal remained 'an incredibly strong brand, well managed, with  a great coach'.

The comments below have not been moderated.

We must lose the board (and possibly wenger) before we lose Emirates, we will die without their sponsorship.

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For too long Arsenal Board believe the Club is golden. Reality has just struck from their main Sponsors. Even they believe enough of the nonsense from the Board who think not winning is important. Worst, the Club owners think not qualifying for the Europe Championship is OK. Is it really? This is definitely the last wake-up call. Make or burst - Board members, Gazidis and A. Wenger? The fans have cried out far too long but silenced each time the dire football situation of Arsenal is brought up. Withdrawing the sponsorship may be a good warning at the right time! Start buying good quality players this January. Still not too late!

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"Arsenal's worst ever campaign under Wenger" or "Arsenal are in a crisis" and they're 3rd. This is real world class journalism from DM.

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Rats....sinking ship....lol

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people take this "4th is a trophy" thing way too far, What he means is qualifying for the champions league is more important than winning a domestic cup for the upcoming season, which is certainly is (of course if you can get both it's brilliant, he just meant he wanted to prioritize champions league qualification over a cup). I'm certain that if we didn't qualify for the champions league this year more than van persie and song would have left, sagna would definitely have pushed his way out of the club, giroud and cazorla probably wouldnt have joined (why would they go from a team playing in the champions league to a team playing in the europa league). Liverpool won the carling cup last year, what good did it do for them? A day of celebrations then back to misery the next week. I'm sure that if they were given the option prior to the start of the summer transfer window, they would have gladly exchanged their carling cup for our champions league qualification. then get bettersignings

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