Date published: Thursday 30th March 2023 7:09 – Lewis Oldham
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Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka is reportedly set to sign a new contract but it has been claimed that this new deal could include a ‘get-out clause’.
The England international has legitimately been one of the Premier League’s best players this season as he has helping Arsenal’s push for the title.
Saka has grabbed 12 goals and ten assists in 28 appearances in the Premier League as Arsenal have moved eight points clear of nearest rivals Man City.
The 21-year-old is out of contract in 2024 but it is being heavily reported that he is set to pen a new deal which will expire in 2028.
This is a major boost for Arsenal, as Saka has been linked with a move to Manchester City in recent months.
Ben Jacobs has confirmed that Man City have had a “genuine interest” in Saka. He also warns Arsenal that a ‘get-out clause’ could be included in the player’s new contract.
“There was genuine interest from Manchester City,” Jacobs told TEAMtalk. “But even Manchester City felt like it was a case of playing the long game.
“And the beauty when you’re in the form of Saka and you’re negotiating is that there’s always a possibility of inserting player-led clauses that effectively allow you to have your cake and eat it.
“Six months or so ago, that was perhaps the thinking on Saka’s side that he had the desire to stay at Arsenal. And he knew that of course, the club would pull out stops to try and keep him so in the short term, the player was always untouchable.
“And then in the long term, can the player get something that says: Well, if the project changes, for example, no Champions League football, you have the opportunity to leave at which point suitors realise that they might stand a chance in the long term but not in the short term.”
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Jacobs has also broken down the financial aspects of Saka’s new contract, which shows Arsenal “deem him to be untouchable”.
“Saka will effectively become one of, if not the best-paid player at Arsenal if, and this is the key point, all of the possible bonuses and incentives are activated,” Jacobs added.
“So the base annual earnings, if you like, are going to be somewhere in the region of a minimum of £9-10million, but the bonuses could well add another £4-or-5million on top of that, which means that he could be extremely handsomely paid.
“And this has been about Arsenal financially speaking anyway, showing Saka that he’s indispensable and that they deem him to be untouchable and rewarding him for the form that he’s on.”
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