Arsenal are set to begin formal talks with Bukayo Saka over a new contract.
Mikel Arteta is primed to invest heavily this summer in a squad that looks set to finish as Premier League runners-up for a third season in a row.
Having kept their powder dry in January, Arsenal are set to arm their manager with a huge war chest in an effort to overhaul Liverpool and stay ahead of the chasing pack.
While a new striker and a midfielder are certain to be earmarked as priorities, retaining the services of his key players represents an equally important task.
Saka penned his last deal in the summer of 2022, but he will no doubt be pushing for a raise on his current £10million-a-year salary after he made such an outstanding start to the current season.
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The likes of Manchester City were monitoring Saka’s situation the last time his future was a matter of conjecture and interest in a player who has firmly established himself as one of Europe’s best wingers will only intensify should he opt to run his contract into its final 12 months.
Arsenal will attempt to head off a potentially disastrous situation by commencing negotiations as soon as possible, according to the BBC, and will feel confident of a positive resolution.
Saka’s immediate priority, meanwhile, centres on finishing his rehabilitation ahead of his eagerly anticipated return from injury.
The 23-year-old underwent surgery after tearing his hamstring against Crystal Palace in November and has been sorely missed by his team whose attacking options have been decimated since the turn of the year.
Saka has been working diligently on his return and it is hoped he will be able to make his comeback following the international break when Arsenal take on Fulham at the Emirates on 1 April.
A week on from that game, Arsenal welcome Real Madrid to north London for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
The return leg follows a week later in Madrid with a home game against Brentford separating the two fixtures.
With most of the Arsenal squad set to head off on international duty after the weekend, Saka will step up the final stages of his rehabilitation before returning to full first-team training.
‘He is going to be here [at the Arsenal training ground], hopefully more with ball at his feet than he has had,’ said Arteta.
‘That will mean he is passing the ball and shooting and running and everything. He has done quite a lot already on the pitch working on his own.
‘Next we need to arrange it with people around him in a more competitive training session and see how he goes with that.
‘He’s getting closer, he’s stepping up and making a very good progress I would say. So, let’s see when we start to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.’
