Bukayo Saka was not swayed by interest from Manchester City during contract talks with Arsenal - due to the impressive work that has been done by Mikel Arteta.
Saka, 21, has evolved into one of Arsenal's most influential players since Arteta succeeded Unai Emery back in December 2019 and has spearheaded their unlikely Premier League title challenge this term by notching 12 goals and 10 assists in 28 games.
The Arsenal hierarchy have been locked in talks with the talented winger for months in a bid to tie their talisman down to a new long-term deal. And an agreement has now been reached in principle, with Saka ready to shun interest from elsewhere in order to put pen-to-paper on a new contract worth around £15million-a-year.
According to The Daily Mail, Saka will become the Gunners' highest earner courtesy of his new contract, which has come in the wake of interest from several of the club's Premier League rivals.
Liverpool were touted as a potential destination for Saka last season, while Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is known to be avid admirer of the England star.
But the same report outlines that, despite interest from Manchester City, Saka had always privately maintained that he wanted to stay at Arsenal due to the progress the club have made under Arteta.
Saka's new deal, which will run until the summer of 2028 and is worth around £300,000-a-week, will come as a major boost to an Arsenal side who will be bidding to clinch their first Premier League title since 2004 when the domestic campaign resumes at the weekend.
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Despite missing out on Champions League football last year, Arteta has turned the Gunners into title challengers and they headed into the international break with an eight-point cushion over Manchester City; although the defending champions have played one game less than Arteta's side.
And Saka made it clear that he and his Arsenal teammates believe they can see the job out in the final weeks of the season after opening up a significant lead over Manchester City - even though they face a daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium during the final weeks of the title run-in.
“We don’t fear anyone,” Saka insisted after the Gunners' emphatic 4-1 win over Crystal Palace prior to the international break. “You can see the way we play, even when City came here. The prize at the end is worth giving everything for. We have the belief and the desire that we want to do something special this year. And nothing can stop us, especially not being tired.
“We are not going to pretend we don’t know who we are playing next because we have ten finals to go.”
