According to reports, Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is expected to ‘agree’ a new contract before the end of this year as he’s ‘in line for a hefty pay rise’.
In recent weeks, Arsenal have turned their attention to tying key stars down to new contracts, with talks over extensions for Saka and William Saliba deemed priorities.
Saka and Saliba are only under contract until 2027, though a report this week revealed that the centre-back has reached an ‘agreement’ with the Premier League giants over a new contract, which should be announced in days.
During his press conference on Friday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta all-but confirmed that Saliba has signed a new deal as he commented on lingering interest from Real Madrid.
“When you hear that noise, you can understand certain expectations. Players have feelings, and maybe dreaming about something one day and that’s a really natural thing to have,” Arteta said.
“When I sat down with William and I asked him the question, he said: ‘No, I want to stay here, I want to play for you, and I’m very happy’ in his own way, so that was great to hear.
“He’s been instrumental in everything we’ve done in the last few years. His consistency, the way he’s progressed, and the way he has matured as well as a person and his role in the team has grown year after year.
“Every time I sit with a player and we discuss with the club what their intentions are, the first thing is that they want to continue with us, they want to win with us, they want to continue to grow as a player in this environment and that’s a great thing to have because it’s not always the case and we don’t take it for granted.”
Arteta also admitted that he “would love” for Saka to follow Saliba in penning a new contract. He added: “From everything that I know, he is a player that is extremely happy, and proud to have the role that he has at the football club.
“Things will develop in a natural way, like they always do, and everyone knows how important Bukayo is for us. Hopefully we can do it.”
Now, Football Transfers are reporting that Saka is ‘edging closer’ to signing a new contract, with an ‘agreement’ expected to be ‘finalised before Christmas’.
The report has also revealed how much Saka will earn, while there is another ‘key’ factor.
The report adds:
‘The 24-year-old is expected to receive a substantial wage increase when he signs his proposed new contract and sources have indicated that Saka’s salary could reach around £250,000 per week – making him one of the club’s highest earners.
‘However, this figure still falls short of the £280,000 weekly package that Kai Havertz is understood to earn. Insiders suggest this discrepancy is expected to form a key part of discussions over the terms of Saka’s renewal.’