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Football London
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Josh Holland

Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has £105m priority to avoid Mikel Arteta nightmare

Bukayo Saka's future at Arsenal will be at the top of Stan Kroenke's list of priorities at the end of the season. The winger has been crucial to the Gunners' route to the top of the Premier League table and has been one of the best players in Europe this season.

The 21 year-old has been involved in 23 goals in 38 appearances for the north London outfit this season and has been a constant in Mikel Arteta's side since the Spainaird's appointment in 2019 - making more appearances than any other player.

Saka's current contract at the Emirates Stadium expires at the end of next season. football.london understands that the England international is close to signing a new deal with the club amid reports linking Manchester City with the Hale Ender.

READ MORE: Why Edu must sign Bukayo Saka competitor as Mikel Arteta faces long-term Arsenal concern

The transfer policy implemented in the last two years has seen a large focus on recruiting on youth and quality. It's likely that a similar pattern will follow at the end of the season, but arguably the most pressing matter will be extending Saka’s stay at the club.

"I am very confident that we as a club and Bukayo, his family, his agent, everybody, we are very much aligned in what we want to achieve," Arteta said back in August. "And now it is about putting it on a piece of paper.

"I would like that to get done, because I don’t want the player or anybody distracted while we are in the middle of the season. But those things take time and they have to go through the right process, and I think the process has been really good."

This season, Saka has been the best right winger in the Premier League by some distance. At only 21, the maturity and productivity he is producing is superb, with his £105m market value - courtesy of CIES Football Observatory - looking relatively cheap when considering his current ability and potential in years to come.

While there is the need to look at improving Arteta's squad in the summer, Saka's contract is, rightly so, a priority. And if reports are to be believed, the winger will become one of the club's highest-earners.

According to the Daily Mail, the proposed new deal will see Saka earn almost £15 million-a-season, seeing him pocket £300k-per-week. The deal will be £50k short of Mesut Ozil's £350k-per-week salary previously but is certainly a sincere statement of intent.

Saka is already on his way to putting his name in Arsenal's Hall of Fame. The Gunners remain on course to win their first Premier League title in nearly two decades with the Ealing-born star central to their success.

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