Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has now reportedly been handed a huge boost after some contract news out of the Emirates Stadium.
Ever since Andrea Berta's arrival in north London, the sporting director has rushed to secure the long-term futures of Arteta's most important players.
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Several extensions have already been announced, and crucial talks remain ongoing with star performers like Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes both committed with long-term extensions running until 2030 earlier this year, with the pair also said to have promised eachother they'll remain at the Emirates to compete for major silverware.
These deals were considered vital after Real Madrid showed serious interest in Saliba especially, and tying down both of world football's centre-backs represents a major coup for Arsenal as Berta signals their serious ambition.
Rising academy stars Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly also penned new five-year contracts in the summer, rewarding their breakthrough into the first team and showcasing Arsenal's continued commitment to youth development.
Both teenagers have impressed when given opportunities and are viewed by Arsenal as integral parts of the club's future plans, even if some reports suggest that Lewis-Skelly could leave North London in January after falling behind Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie in the pecking order.
Goalkeeper David Raya and winger Leandro Trossard received significant pay rises before the 2025-26 season too, even if neither player actually extended the length of their deals — which comes as quite interesting.
Arsenal's unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
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Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
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Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid
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Trossard's situation was particularly unusual, with the Belgian agreeing to a salary adjustment that increased his wages without adding any further years to his contract, which still expires in 2027.
That being said, the most crucial new deal talks centre around Saka.
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Arsenal are said to have made excellent progress in talks with the England international, with both parties aligned and convinced about continuing together. The 24-year-old, whose current terms runs until 2027, is expected to become Arsenal's highest-paid player in history with wages exceeding £300,000 per week.
Now, according to TEAMtalk, an agreement has been reached in negotiations.
Arsenal agree new Bukayo Saka deal after "breakthrough"
Indeed, the outlet reports that Arsenal have achieved a 'breakthrough' in contract talks with Saka, and an official announcement is expected to be made in 'due course' over his new deal.
Arsenal Saka
After months of discussions between the two parties, Saka is now apparently poised to sign on the dotted line, coming one month after the Hale End superstar publicly declared his wish to remain at N5.
“I want to help win the biggest of trophies as well in my time at Arsenal," Saka said.
"So that’s the next step. We’ve had a lot of the group together for many years now, and we’ve been through a lot of ups and downs together, and now we just want to go the next step.”
Saka has evolved into one of the world's elite wingers and his importance to the Gunners cannot be overstated.
The attacker already has over 277 first-team appearances under his belt at Arsenal, scoring 76 goals across all competitions, and he reached a significant milestone by making his 200th Premier League appearance for the club against West Ham in October.
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His output has been extraordinary ever since making his senior debut against Vorskla Poltava all the way back in 2018. The Three Lions superstar has netted 56 goals and provided 51 assists in the top flight alone, giving him an incredible 107 goal involvements in the competition, and he's barely midway through his 20s.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Raheem Sterling and Ryan Giggs had more combined Premier League goals and assists than Saka at the age of 23, making for more insane numbers that put him on course to challenge some of the all-time Premier League records.
Arteta will be thrilled that Saka's hamstring woes are now behind him, and we could still be yet to see the very best of what Arsenal's electrifying gem has to offer.