Arsenal will intensify their efforts to tie Bukayo Saka down to a new contract following Raheem Sterling’s Manchester City exit. Sterling has left Man City for Chelsea in a £45million deal, and the Premier League champions’ preferred replacement is bad news for Mikel Arteta.
According to the Daily Mail, Man City have identified Saka as their No 1 target to succeed Sterling among Pep Guardiola’s attacking ranks. The 20-year-old also qualifies as a homegrown player and has flourished into one of Europe’s brightest young talents in recent seasons.
The report states City’s interest is a complication in Arsenal’s desire to extend Saka’s contract in north London, which expires in 2024. Talks over propelling him among the Gunners’ best-paid stars are ongoing, and there is optimism that Saka can be persuaded to commit his future to his boyhood club.
However, Arsenal’s latest failure to qualify for the Champions League comes as a blow due to the England international’s desire to play in Europe’s elite competition. And they may have to include a clause in his new deal that would ease a future departure, should City or another of the continent’s top dogs come knocking.
