%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Bukayo Saka's Arsenal contract runs out after the 2026-27 season, but time is ticking to get a deal done.
Bukayo Saka feels like the forgotten man at Arsenal having been sidelined with a hamstring injury after the Gunners 5-1 win over Crystal Palace back in December.
Mikel Arteta stated after the 1-0 win over Chelsea that the winger had a chance to return to action against Fulham after the international break, which was welcome news to an Arsenal forward set-up that is desperately craving No. 7 to return.
But what Saka's absence has done, is only further illustrates how important he is to everything the Gunners under Arteta do and how the club must do everything they can to ensure he stays with Arsenal long-term.
Why do we say this?
Well, Saka's current contract ends after the 2026-27 season, and yes, that is a couple of years away, but the last thing the club wants is for history to repeat itself from the Arsene Wenger years and let the contract run down to then be at their mercy of the player and their demands.
This is why it is so crucial for Arteta and new director Andrea Berta to get out in front of Bukayo's future and begin talks to tie him to the club for the foreseeable future.
And for the BBC's Sami Mokbel, the club is already well aware of the situation and is making moves on Bukayo's contract extension with concrete talks "already initiated."
So the club is already making moves and that is music to our ears.
We have lost count of how many times under Wenger the club let a star player's contract run down to the final 12 months and then ultimately lose that player or be forced to bend the knee on the contract demands.
It appears that under Arteta, that isn't going to be the case and with Arsenal looking to be a destination club as it looks to fight on all fronts next season, having Saka's future sorted could be a rather enticing prospect for other players who are looking to join the Gunners.
Yes, Saka's contract isn't up for nearly two years, but getting it done as soon as possible will eliminate a big headache that no one at the club needs - and we haven't even mentioned what it would do to the fans either.
You know what you have to do, Arsenal. Get it done.