Date: 21st May 2022 at 7:30am
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Arsenal will reportedly sit down with the agent of Bukayo Saka at the end of the season in a bid to secure his long-term future at the club.

The 20-year-old has developed into a pivotal first-teamer under Mikel Arteta. He is under contract until 2024 after signing a long-term deal in July 2020.

But Arsenal are desperately keen to tie Saka down to a longer deal after being with the club since the age of eight.

The £58.5m-rated wonderkid came through the Hale End academy and has now made 130 appearances for the club, scoring 23 goals and grabbing 28 assists.

He has also become an England regular, and he will, barring any injury, be heading to the Qatar World Cup with England later this year.

There is not thought to be any huge urgency to get Saka committed to a new deal.

Speaking to CaughtOffside in his exclusive column, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Saka feels good at Arsenal and hasn’t had any talks with other clubs.

ESPN claimed in February that Liverpool and Man City were watching Saka. While Goal’s Liverpool journalist Neil Jones also confirmed the Reds’ interest in the player.

As a result of such interest, the Gunners are intending to start talks for a new deal.

“Arsenal have a meeting scheduled with Bukayo Saka’s agent at the end of the current season,” Romano told Caughtoffside.

“At the moment there are no changes related to the situation for the UCL spot race: Saka is in love with Arsenal but obviously the negotiations are still at early stages. As of today, Saka is not yet negotiating with other clubs.”

Saka is believed to be one of the lowest earners in the senior set up at The Emirates, believed to be on around £33k-per-week having penned a contract two years ago.

His progress since then, though, has been immense and the club are well aware of the player’s soaring value.

Saka, as Romano points out, is Arsenal through and through and is not looking to leave.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed a sensational season as Arsenal have improved on their eight-placed finish from last season, almost guaranteeing a place in the top five.

In 42 club appearances so far this campaign, he’s registered 12 goals and six assists becoming the club’s top goalscorer.

Providing Arsenal miss out on Champions League football, and an offer arrives from elsewhere, Saka could well be forgiven for considering his options.

The Ealing-born star has made no secret of his desire and longing for Europe’s most prestigious competition. And that is looking unlikely again with Arsenal next season.

“I think the Champions League creates so many special nights. And it’s a dream for me still to experience one of them and hopefully many more of them,” Saka told Sky Sports in February.

Still, Arteta will hope he has enough sway to get the player to sign a new deal. But if a Champions League place still evades Arsenal, then maybe Saka will look to move on in the years to come.

Saka, who turns 21 in September still has time on his side, and it will undoubtedly be a huge blow to leave his boyhood club so soon.

AND in other news, “I was told” – talkSPORT reporter drops big Arsenal update on £49.5m-rated “top-class” ace…

 

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