Berta has done fine work behind the scenesplaceholder image
Berta has done fine work behind the scenes | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal are said to be making real progress on one new contract as talks begin with other key players.
Arsenal are said to be closing in on a bumper new contract, while they are also said to be making progress on two other deals. The Gunners have enjoyed a strong season so far, still alive in all competitions and sitting atop the Premier League table.
The Gunners lead Manchester City by two points, and they look well-positioned to have a sustained Premier League title run given the depth they have amassed in their squad.
Arsenal’s lack of depth in recent years cost them dearly, and that’s an area they were finally able to address in the summer, with particular emphasis on making sure they had players to turn to in all areas should injuries arise, as they did frequently last season.
In the meantime, sporting director Andrea Berta has also been working on new deals, and he has already made plenty of progress, tying up the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
And the work continues on that front, with Bukayo Saka the main player in need of a new deal. Saka is under terms until 2027, but he is need of a new contract to reflect his obvious importance to the team. Such deals are important to keep players like Saka from the market, where other teams may attempt to turn his head with juicy deals should his current terms not be satisfactory.
A contract has not been easy to agree, with talks rumbling on for some time, but according to TeamTalk, talks have been going smoothly in December, and there is now confidence between the two parties that a new long-term deal can be signed and announced in the coming weeks.
That will be a huge relief to Arsenal fans, who will have grown fearful in the wake of talks rumbling on for so long. The Gunners are Saka’s boyhood club, so if the finances make sense, it is logical that he will want to stick around long-term, especially with Arsenal looking like being successful for years to come based on their current trajectory.
More new contracts likely
The same report claims Berta is also taking an early look at other contracts in a bid to get ahead of the some of the deals on the horizon. It’s claimed Jurrien Timber could be next in line, with Arsenal already in talks over a possible extension beyond his current deal, which is set to expire in 2028.
At just 24 years of age and a key part of Arsenal’s plans, it would be wise for the Gunners to keep Timber around, and especially with his versatility, able to play at both full-back and centre-back.
Elsewhere, it’s claimed there has been initial contact between Arsenal and the representatives of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, but those deals are likely to be further down the line. Odegaard’s current deal is set to expire in 2028, while Rice’s deal is also up in 2028 with Arsenal having the option to add another year to that.
The difference in those deals is that both players penned good terms when they joined the clubs, while players like Saka who come through the academy tend to be on reduced terms because they are not involved in transfers.
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