Arsenal are reportedly looking to start contract negotiations with Declan Rice, alongside ongoing discussions with Bukayo Saka and Jurriën Timber, as they look to tie down their midfield star.
The trio of players are pivotal to Arsenal’s succes as undisputed starters that have helped the club become one of the best teams in the world.
The Gunners have already started conversations with both Saka and Timber to reach an agreement on a new contract. Conversations are seemingly progressing well and there’s optimism on a striking a deal with the pair in the near future, per Fabrizio Romano.
But Arsenal’s efforts to lock down their thriving stars doesn’t stop there. The club are also keen on starting negotiations with Declan Rice to offer him a new long-term deal to keep him at the Emirates Stadium well into the future. Although this plan is already in motion, Rice’s contract renewal is expected to take some time.
The Gunners are currently the odds-on favourites to win both the Premier League and the Champions League. Mikel Arteta’s side currently top the standings in both competitions, albeit with a long way to go until the climax of the term.
Of the three players, Saka’s current contract is the one that will expire first. The academy graduate’s deal runs until the end of the 2026–27 season, with Timber and Rice’s valid until the conclusion of the following term.
Nevertheless, trying to take action early is a sign of an underrated strength of Arsenal’s current squad-planning, one that’s seen them build a group that could be together well into the future.
Arsenal Are Poised for Sustained Success
Following William Saliba’s renewal, not a single player in Arsenal’s current squad—apart from Bayer Leverkusen loanee Piero Hincapié—will see their contract run-out in the summer of 2026.
If Arsenal do so wish, they can also trigger a buy option on Hincapié’s deal to make the transfer permanent. The 15-year-old prodigy Max Dowman is the only other player who needs to get re-upped, but due to his age, he can’t yet sign a professional contract. However, the club already has a plan to protect their wonderkid.
Furthermore, the contracts of Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Christian Nørgaard are the only ones that will expire come the summer of 2027.
Apart from Saka, the other three names aren’t core players in Arteta’s system, having started a combined two Premier League games this season.
If Saka’s renewal materialises in the near future, the the core of Arsenal’s league-leading side could be together until the end of the 2027–28 season at the very least.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Prioritising Contract Extensions for Three Key Stars—Report.
