Theo Walcott has urged Bukayo Saka to stay at Arsenal amid rumours, that they’ve denied, Manchester City are interested in signing him this summer.

Arsenal's English midfielder Bukayo Saka applauds supporters as he leaves having been substituted during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 8, 2022. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s English midfielder Bukayo Saka applauds supporters as he leaves having been substituted during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 8, 2022. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Over the past few days there has been a lot of noise claiming that Manchester City are interested in signing Bukayo Saka from Arsenal.

In fact, there has been so much written about the possibility of a deal happening that Theo Walcott has advised Saka against it.

“Well, there is obviously a transitional stage at Arsenal, that Mikel is part of, and Saka is massively part of it as well,” Walcott told talkSPORT Breakfast.

“The younger crop of players at Arsenal coming through, I feel as though the club need to keep hold of him, simple as that.

“Obviously, when Manchester City coming knocking on the door, it is such a hard thing for any player really to turn down.

NORWICH, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Bukayo Saka celebrates with teammate Ben White of Arsenal after scoring their team's first goal during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Arsenal at Carrow Road on December 26, 2021 in Norwich, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
NORWICH, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 26: Bukayo Saka celebrates with teammate Ben White of Arsenal after scoring their team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Arsenal at Carrow Road on December 26, 2021 in Norwich, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

“He is very young, but I feel that he likes the area of London in Arsenal, the fans have been fantastic, and at the Emirates, which is one of the best stadiums I have ever played in.

“He has great support, and I will be intrigued. My heart says he will be at Arsenal next season, and we will see after that.

“He needs to understand that the playing opportunities will be limited at Manchester City. He will, of course, be more likely to win things, but it is not saying Arsenal won’t win things.

“I think they are in that phase, they are slowly starting to get there. They would have taken fifth at the start of the season, given how it went.

“I am hopeful he will be at Arsenal next season, I am pretty sure of that.”

Not long after that interview went live, there was a mass release of an article to all the English local news outlets headlined ‘Manchester City deny move for Bukayo Saka‘.

They have, apparently, told the Daily Mirror that rumours of a move for the 20-year-old are false.

Saka has two years left on his current Arsenal deal and the club are confident that he will renew with them.

Talks are said to be ‘imminent‘ and there seems to be no indication that Saka is keen to do anything other than stay at Arsenal.