Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has reportedly been a busy man just days into his tenure as Edu Gaspar's replacement, and it is now believed the Italian has Mikel Arteta's side as favourites to sign a Brazil international.
Andrea Berta's first priority as new Arsenal director
While a lot of rumours are centering around Berta's transfer activity, his reliably reported number one priority right now is tying star winger Bukayo Saka down with fresh terms.
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The German is set to leave on a free as things stand.
The £195,000-per-week forward's current deal expires in 2027, and Saka displayed his importance to Arsenal almost immediately after returning from a hamstring injury which sidelined him since December last year.
Arsenal's next five Premier League games Date
Everton (away) April 5th
Brentford (home) April 12th
Ipswich Town (away) April 20th
Crystal Palace (home) TBD
Bournemouth (home) May 3rd
Saka scored on his immediate return in a 2-1 Arsenal win over Fulham earlier this week, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the agreement of a new contract for him is "top" of Berta's to-do list at the Emirates Stadium.
"I wanted to start with the top priority, which is absolutely Bukayo Saka," said Romano on the Here We Go podcast.
"Bukayo Saka is out of contract in summer 2027, so it’s not something urgent, it’s not a worrying situation for Arsenal. But in general, Arsenal want to give a new contract to Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal-Saka-Fulham
"So some contacts have already started. Now Bukayo and his agents will have the opportunity to meet with Andrea Berta to understand the strategy from the new director, and that’s always something important. You can start the conversation already months ago, of course, but then you need to speak to the new director to understand the view, to understand the project, and this is what’s going to happen with Bukayo Saka."
Amid their attempts to make Saka commit, the next priority for Berta will be Arsenal's summer transfer window.
According to some reports, Berta is considering the signing of an alternative to Saka on the right-hand side, as part of a potential seven-signing summer spree where they could spend around £300 million (GiveMeSport).
Arsenal have also been repeatedly linked with a move for Wolves star Matheus Cunha, a player who could deputise for Saka on the right given his excellent versatility.
Arsenal in "pole position" to sign Wolves star Matheus Cunha
The Brazil international has starred on the right-wing, left-wing, in centre-attacking midfield, as a second-striker and at centre-forward for Wolves this season, with Cunha enjoying the season of his life.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Cunha in action with AFC Bournemouth's Marcus Tavernier and Lewis Cook
He's bagged 15 goals and four assists in 29 appearances this term, and Premier League sides are taking interest given the £62.5 million release clause inserted into his new contract.
According to CaughtOffside, Berta has Arsenal in "pole position" to sign Cunha as things stand, and the director's connections with him through their time together at Atlético Madrid are tipped to play a key role in convincing the 25-year-old.
In a further boost for Arteta, the outlet reports that Wolves will sell Cunha for even less than his release clause in a potential cut-price deal - so this move is looking more and more like a no-brainer given the player's outstanding form throughout 2024/2025.