Mike Arteta is confident that Bukayo Saka will sign a new long-term contract with Arsenal sas soon as possible before it becomes a distraction for either the player or the club.
‘I am extremely confident that we, as a club, and Bukayo, his family, his agent, everyone, are very much aligned in our goals.’ And now it’s time to put it on paper,’ Arteta remarked on Friday.
Saka was offered a new contract by Arsenal last month, making him one of the club’s highest-paid players.
The 20-year-current old’s contract is set to expire in less than two years, and talks about extending it have been ongoing for some time.
Arsenal will speed up talks with the England international due to increased interest from rival clubs, including Manchester City.
With the World Cup coming up in a few months, Arteta stated, ‘I would like that to get done because I don’t want the player or anyone distracted while we are in the middle of the season.’
But those things take time, and they have to go through the proper process, which I believe has been very good.’
The signing of Saka to a contract extension will be a huge boost for the Gunners.
There has been speculation that the 20-year-old will agree to new terms with the club.
Saka is seen as Manchester City’s ideal replacement for Raheem Sterling, who has left for Chelsea.
Saka also wants to play in the Champions League, and Arsenal’s failure to finish in the top four last season has complicated negotiations with their academy graduate.
However, the additions of Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Fabio Viera should elevate Arsenal’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League this season.
However, it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to persuade Saka that he can achieve his ambitions at the North London club next season.
Arteta, speaking before of Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, also defended Aaron Ramsdale.
In last week’s win over Leicester, the goalkeeper was chastised for allowing James Maddison’s near-post shot to slip between his legs.
The goalkeeper’s reaction to allowing a goal was shown in Amazon’s All or Nothing documentary, and Arteta stated, ‘I think Aaron has been quite solid at the start of the season.’
‘You saw that in a very specific time (in the documentary), but when you put cameras on someone and they make a mistake, they feel, they hurt, and it takes a few days to swallow.
‘You can see the families as well, how much they suffer, and it’s great to see how much the athletes care.’