Bukayo Saka is set to be offered a new contract by Arsenal with Mikel Arteta desperate to tie down one of his best players.
The England international has gone from strength to strength at the Emirates this season and is now a key man under the Spaniard. The 20-year-old is firmly ousted Nicolas Pepe, who was signed for a club-record £72million, from the starting XI and has attracted the attention of Liverpool.
There have been rumours that the youngster could look elsewhere as he looks to take his game to the next level and compete in the Champions League. But with the Gunners on course to land a spot in the top four, that will give them plenty of confidence going into contract negotiations.
It is also telling that Saka’s representatives have indicated that they are willing to enter talks but he will be in line for a major wage hike. The Arsenal ace is one of the lowest earners at the Emirates currently.
The London-born starlet takes home £30,000-a-week at the moment - less than the likes of Eddie Nketiah (£45,000-a-week) and Rob Holding (£40,000-a-week) - but that would change under Arteta’s plans. According to The Sun, the Gunners want to more than quadruple his pay packet that will see him land £125,000-a-week.
That would bring him up to the likes of Ben White (£120,000-a-week) and Kieran Tierney (£110,000-a-week) and would make Saka the fourth-highest earner at the club. Only Thomas Partey, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe would be earning more than the winger.
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The top talent is among one of the hottest properties in English football and while his current contract does not expire until 2024, Arteta has made it one of his priorities to tie him down to a new deal. There is no doubting that Saka has been arguably Arsenal’s best player this season.
He has made 33 appearances across all competitions this campaign, scoring 10 and assisting five - including his last outing where he scored the winner against Aston Villa to take the Gunners into the top four. Saka has also struck up some brilliant on-field chemistry with fellow young guns Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard with Arsenal winning six of their last seven Premier League outings.
Arsenal's highest earners: Name, salary, weely wage
Thomas Partey, £10,400,000, £200,000
Alexandre Lacazette, £9,467,273, £182,063
Nicolas Pepe, £7,280,000, £140,000
Bukayo Saka, £6,500,000, £125,000 - if new contract signed
Ben White, £6,240,000, £120,000
Kieran Tierney, £5,720,000, £110,000
Bernd Leno, £5,200,000, £100,000
Granit Xhaka, £5,200,000, £100,000
Gabriel Martinelli, £4,680,000, £90,000
Pablo Mari, £4,420,000, £85,000
Cedric Soares, £3,900,000, £75,000
Mohamed Elneny, £2,730,000, £52,500
Gabriel Magalhaes, £2,600,000, £50,000
Edward Nketiah, £2,340,000, £45,000
Rob Holding, £2,080,000, £40,000
Nuno Tavares, £1,404,000, £27,000
