Arsenal have announced that Bukayo Saka has signed a new long-term contract with the club.
The 21-year-old was initially due to become a free agent in the summer of 2024 but is understood to have penned a three-year extension to keep him on the books until the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
Saka - whose new deal is supposedly worth £15m per year - has continued to go from strength to strength in the current Premier League season during Arsenal's unexpected title charge, scoring 13 goals and registering 11 assists in 37 top-flight appearances.
The England international is one of only two players to have hit double figures in both goals and assists during the current Premier League campaign, the other being Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.
Both Liverpool and Manchester City were believed to have been keeping tabs on Saka's situation, but the youngster believes that he has all the resources he needs at the Emirates Stadium to become "the best player" he can be.
From Hale End to first team. Arsenal through and through.
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 23, 2023
It's time for the next chapter.
Bukayo Saka: Gunner ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ngVKSlJ1UG
"I'm just really happy. 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," Saka told arsenal.com after committing his future to the club.
"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.
"It's been too long since this club has had Champions League football. I'm really looking forward to Tuesday and Wednesday nights in this stadium, the atmosphere is going to be special."
Manager Mikel Arteta added: "It's great for the club that Bukayo has extended his contract. Retaining our best young talents is key to our continued progress and Bukayo represents such an important part of our squad now and for the future.
"As well as being a fantastic talent, Bukayo is a special person, he's loved by us all and he is a credit to himself and his family for the hard work and commitment they have all made to get to this level today. Together with our supporters, we're so looking forward to enjoying Bukayo's continued development with us in the years to come."
© Reuters
Finally, sporting director Edu hailed Saka as one of the best young talents in the world and claimed that it was "so enjoyable" negotiating his new contract with his entourage.
"It has been so enjoyable to work with everyone to extend Bukayo's contract," Edu added. "It is a very proud moment for us all at the club, to work hard with Bukayo and experience his great journey from our academy through to our first team.
"Bukayo has now developed into one of the best young players in the game and we're looking forward to enjoying together this next stage of his career with us."
Saka joined Arsenal's Hale End academy as an eight-year-old and has since made 178 appearances for the senior team, scoring 37 goals and registering 40 assists in the process.
The attacker has won one FA Cup and one Community Shield with the Gunners and transferred his strong club form onto the international stage at the World Cup, scoring three goals during England's run to the quarter-finals, where he won the penalty for Harry Kane to convert in a 2-1 loss to France.
Saka has become the fourth Arsenal player to commit his future to the club this season after Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Aaron Ramsdale, and the Gunners are also working to agree new contracts with William Saliba and Martin Odegaard.
Ben Knapton
