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Mikel Arteta confident that Bukayo Saka will sign new Arsenal contract
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta isn’t concerned about Bukayo Saka’s contract situation and is confident that the England international will pen an extension with the Gunners.
Saka has emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young talents and he was recently nominated for the Kopa Trophy for the second consecutive year after finishing sixth in 2021. The 20-year-old was Arsenal’s top scorer last season having played a key role in England’s progression to the Euro 2020 final the previous summer.
He is a cornerstone of Arteta’s rebuild in north London, although his contract situation has thrust an element of doubt over his long-term future. While his current deal at the club doesn’t expire until 2024, Arsenal are keen to extend Saka once more to ward off any potential buyers.
Manchester City and Liverpool have been tenuously linked with a move for the star winger.
Mikel Arteta is confident that Bukayo Saka will sign new Arsenal contract
Arteta says he is "confident" about Saka's new contract.
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) August 19, 2022
"I would like to get it done so it's not a distraction."
Reports emerged over the summer of Arsenal attempting to bring Saka to the negotiating table, and while the 21-year-old is yet to pen an extension with the club, manager Arteta is confident that a deal will be struck soon.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Saturday evening, the Spaniard said (via the Evening Standard): “I am very confident that we as a club and Bukayo, his family, his agent, everybody, we are very much aligned in what we want to achieve. And now it is about putting it on a piece of paper.”
Saka has impressed without starring to start 2022/23 with Arsenal winning their opening two games of the new season. The arrival of Gabriel Jesus and re-emergence of Gabriel Martinelli have lifted some weight off of Saka’s shoulders, but he remains a key part of Arteta’s blossoming project.
The Arsenal star will likely compete at the winter World Cup in Qatar with the Three Lions, and Arteta hinted that he’d like to get Saka’s contract sorted out before he departs for the Middle East in November.
“I would like that to get done because I don’t want the player or anybody distracted while we are in the middle of the season,” Arteta added.
“But those things take time and they have to go through the right process, and I think the process has been really good.”
In short, there’s no reason to panic, Gooners. Saka’s contract extension is a matter of inevitability.