Arsenal and England winger Bukayo Saka has signed a new four-year contract with the Gunners; the 21-year-old became the first Premier League player to hit double-digit goal and assist tallies this season; Saka’s new Arsenal deal lasts until 2027
Bukayo Saka has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.
Sky Sports News understands the winger’s new contract is a four-year deal until the summer of 2027.
Saka’s previous contract was due to expire at the end of next season, with the new deal a major boost to Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta.
The 21-year-old has been one of Arsenal’s standout players in the last two seasons, while also establishing himself as a key player for Gareth Southgate’s England team since the European Championships in 2021.
Saka has scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions for Arsenal this season, while he was also the club’s top scorer last term with 11.
Saka’s excellent season for Arsenal also saw him nominated for the Premier League Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards, while Saka also joins Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Martinelli in committing their futures to the north London club.
“I’m just really happy,” Saka told the Arsenal official website. “There’s been a lot of talking and it’s been a while, but I’m here now. I think this is the right club, the right place to make the next step. It’s a beautiful club – look where we are.
“For me, it’s about achieving my personal ambitions; how much I push myself and demand from myself each game, week in, week out. Then I have all the right people around me in terms of family, and when I come to the training ground, my teammates, the coaching staff.
“I think I have everything I need to become the best player I can be, and that’s why I’m happy to stay here and be here for the future, because I really believe that we can achieve big things.”
Arteta: Everyone loves him here | ‘We want more players to extend’
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports News as Saka’s new contract was announced, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta paid tribute to his winger’s caring character – and how he represents the club in the “best possible way”.
“First, congratulations to him and thank you for everyone at the club who has been trying to get that deal done. His family, his agent, everybody put a lot of work and time into it,” said Arteta.
“He represents this club in the best possible way and he has merited this contract with his contributions to the team, the club and how he is. Now we have to move again.
“He’s a very special person. He’s really likeable, really humble and loved by everybody here. The way he talks to people, he really takes time to understand how people are feeling and what they need.
“It’s not something he does because of his role, he’s genuine. That’s his biggest attribute, that he cares for people.”
Arteta says he hopes that more of the Gunners’ top young stars join Saka in committing to the club.
“We are hoping on a few of those,” Arteta added when asked about more contract renewals.
“We have gone through the season and we have tied down a very important part of the team and that’s what we wanted to do. This never stops, they keep evolving and developing.”
Analysis: Saka deal big news for Arsenal – but winger needs competition
Long gone are the days when Arsenal would sell their best players.
Saka’s new deal – alongside Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Martinelli committing their futures to the club – represents the Gunners learning from the era when Manchester City and Barcelona used to poach their premium talent.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League title to City, Arsenal’s campaign has shown that the red half of London is a top place for young players like Saka to develop. With Martin Odegaard and William Saliba rumoured to be next on the new contract agenda, Arsenal have some of the Premier League’s brightest sparks and are making them theirs for the long haul.
But Arsenal’s next task regarding Saka is to give him more competition. Arteta’s next-best option on the right flank is Reiss Nelson, who has only been used for two hours of league football since mid-November.
Arsenal’s right-wing reliance on Saka has seen him start every Premier League game for Arsenal bar two in the last two seasons – and it has led to some fatigue in the previous two run-ins.
Saka failed to register a goal or assist in the final 10 games of last season, while he has failed to make a goal contribution in seven out of his last eight league games this term.
The barren run includes a missed penalty against West Ham last month, which Arteta has admitted in the last few days was one of the moments where the title race ran away from Arsenal.
Now Arteta and Arsenal have one of their key men tied down, the next step is to give him some competition and more rest and rotation time.