Arsenal are ready to start contract talks with captain Martin Odegaard as they bid to secure the futures of the core players who led their title challenge.
Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale are expected to finalise lucrative new long-term deals this month and Arsenal are also in negotiations to tie down William Saliba.
Discussions are also planned with Odegaard and the midfielder is in line for a contract that will reflect his status as one of the best players in the Premier League.
Odegaard has enjoyed an outstanding season and played a leading role for Arsenal in their title challenge. The Norwegian has scored 15 goals, contributed seven assists and was named Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards in March.
He has two years left on his current contract and, while there is an option to extend that by a further year to 2026, Arsenal want to secure his long-term future.
Odegaard has been at the heart of Arsenal’s transformation under Mikel Arteta.
He initially moved to Emirates Stadium on loan from Real Madrid in January 2021 before making the move permanent that summer for around £30million.
The 24-year-old now feels at home in north London and wants to lead another title charge next season.
Arsenal tied down Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel to long-term contracts this season and, after Saka and Ramsdale agree terms, Odegaard is next line to be rewarded with a new deal.
With their title challenge all but over, the Gunners are already planning for a busy summer in the transfer market as they bid to go again next season
Arsenal are ready to back Arteta and have identified West Ham captain Declan Rice as their No1 target. They are also targeting another midfielder, a defender and forward player.
The club will look to boost their transfer budget with player sales this summer and several members of the squad face uncertain futures.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka is in talks over a £13m move to Bayer Leverkusen and is set to leave.
His agent was at the Arsenal training ground last week for talks with director of football operations Richard Garlick and sporting director Edu.
Xhaka has enjoyed his best season since joining Arsenal in 2016 but Arteta wants to revamp his midfield and is also interested in Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.
Left-back Kieran Tierney has been limited to a bit-part role this season and is wanted by Newcastle, while forward Folarin Balogun is attracting interest from clubs around Europe after scoring 19 Ligue 1 goals on loan at Reims.
Arsenal are also due to hold talks with Emile Smith Rowe about his future at the end of the season.
The midfielder missed the first half of the season after undergoing groin surgery and has struggled to get in the team since.
