Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed he is "confident" that starlet Bukayo Saka will sign a new contract with the Gunners in the coming months, but stressed things will "take time". It comes after extensive talks with the England international surrounding an extension with the club.
The vibrant winger last signed a contract back in 2019 - aged just 17-years-old at the time. Since then, Saka has gone on to become a driving force in the team under Arteta, creating chaos down the right flank for any opponent he comes up against.
Already a regular starter for both club and country, it's no wonder Arsenal are looking to sort a new deal with just two-years left on his current one. His performances and promise have seen plenty of transfer links, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City rumoured with a move.
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Discussing the impressive development of the youngster back in January 2021, it was clear just how highly his manager rated him: "He's really humble, really respectful and at the same time has that character to demand the ball, to make decisions that are not very usual for his age. We need that leadership and he's gaining that with his attitude and his performances."
It's not just the manager he's won the favour of, but he often captures the imagination of his own supporters, with a chant dedicated to himself and fellow academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe to the tune of "Rockin' all over the world". The fans will be hoping for plenty more years of that, which could be in store after a promising update from Arteta.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's clash with Bournemouth, he was asked about the progress of contract talks and said: "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. And now it is about putting it on a piece of paper.”
While positive, the fact it hasn't been tied up yet could still cause some concern, especially in a unique season that features a World Cup in the middle. Asked whether he would like it tied up by the November tournament, the manager replied: “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.”
It remains to be seen exactly how long it may take for the official extension of his contract to go through, but any added time to his deal could prove pivotal to the project being built at the club.
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