Arsenal are prioritising a new five-year deal for Bukayo Saka this summer, which could reportedly cost the club £45m or more.
Currently under contract until 2024, Football.London report that a new deal for Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s summer priority, though there are a couple of words of caution.
Firstly, Football.London confirm reports from elsewhere that Champions League qualification will be a factor in whether the player signs.
The Daily Mail had previously written that concerns were growing about Arsenal’s ability to tie Saka down without Champions League football. The Mail claim it will be “significantly harder” to extend Saka’s deal if Arsenal don’t finish in the top four.
Secondly, the deal won’t come cheap. Football.London claim a new five-year deal could end up costing Arsenal over £45m.
Some of that would likely come in the form of signing-on fees and loyalty bonuses. But split evenly across the length of the contract that’s over £170,000-a-week.
Fabrizio Romano reported this week that many top clubs around Europe are following Bukayo Saka, across all the top leagues.
Yet when questioned on Saka’s future, a source close to the player responded that he really loves Arsenal, the city, and the people are the club.
As a result, Saka isn’t currently planning to leave, though extension talks won’t take place until the summer.
Arsenal are keen to hand Saka a new deal, there are positive feelings on both sides right now, but the focus is on the race for the Champions League for the time being.
In a press conference earlier this month, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Arsenal will hold talks with Saka’s camp over a new contract this summer.
“It is a conversation we are going to have with the player, then his agent, his family — [talks] which are going to be extremely important as well — so everybody is on board,” Arteta said.
“Obviously, our desire is to keep Bukayo as long as possible, because we are really happy. He is part of our club, our DNA, he is growing, he is maturing.
“His importance in the team is unquestionable and we want to keep our best talent, that’s for sure.”