Arsenal are prepared to make Bukayo Saka the highest-paid player at the club....CONTINUE READING
Saka’s current deal expires in 2024 while the Gunners retain an option to extend that by a further year.
The 21-year-old has established himself as a star player at the Emirates Stadium since making his debut in November 2018, and has developed further under head coach Mikel Arteta.
Saka has scored 28 goals and provided 35 assists in 151 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions, including five goals and six assists in 20 games this season.
Arsenal have been confident of agreeing a deal since September as they look to tie down three of their best young players in Saka, William Saliba, and Gabriel Martinelli.
Saka is still on one of his first contracts with the club, meaning he is actually one of the lowest-paid members of Mikel Arteta’s squad, but Arsenal are prepared to give him a huge rise.
It was believed that a deal of around £ 200,000 a week was initially on the table, but Saka’s representatives are fully aware that his market value is now potentially beyond even that.
Sources believe he will be offered a deal in excess of Gabriel Jesus’ – the former Man City forward is currently the club’s highest earner on close to £ 250,000 a week.
The Hale End academy graduate is due to see his current contract expire in June 2024, but recent reports have indicated that talks are underway between both the player and the club over a new deal.
Arteta stated earlier this season that he is “very confident” Saka will commit his future to the club, telling reporters: “I’m very confident that we as a club, Bukayo, his family, his agent, everybody, we are very much aligned with what we want to achieve.
“Now it’s about putting it on a piece of paper. I would like that to get done because I don’t want the player or anybody to be distracted while we are in the middle of the season, but those things take time.”
Saka himself revealed that he ‘shares the confidence’ of his manager, adding: “Yes, I share his confidence. He knows when to speak to me, it’s not too much but it’s not too little and the different bits of advice he gives me are special and it makes such a difference.
“I really feel at home here. I really feel the love from my teammates, my coaches and the fans as well. I really feel loved here.”
Saka, who was named England Men’s Player of the Year for 2022, is currently away on international duty with England at the World Cup, and he has already made his mark in Qatar after netting a brace in the 6-2 victory over Iran on Monday.
The attacker has now recorded six goals and five assists in 21 international appearances for the Three Lions and he will be hoping to retain his place in the starting lineup for Friday’s second Group B clash against USA.
Saka is not the only Arsenal player who could be in line for a new contract, as fellow 21-year-old attacker Gabriel Martinelli recently confirmed his desire to put pen to paper on a new deal at the Emirates.
“I am very happy at Arsenal. I’ve said it many times. This is my club. I love to be here, I love the city, I love the club,” Martinelli told reporters earlier this month. “I love everything about Arsenal so I want to stay. I just need to get a pen. I want to score, score in the next game and help my team do well.”
Like Bukayo Saka, Martinelli will see his current deal expire in the summer of 2024, but the Gunners are allegedly able to trigger a two-year option to extend the Brazilian’s deal.
