Arsenal are flying this season, with the north London club currently topping the Premier League by five points and assuredly clinching top spot in their Europa League group.
What’s the word?
With such impressive form, though, comes the unwanted advances of some of the sport’s most illustrious clubs; according to 90min, Manchester City are interested in pursuing a deal for one of the Gunners’ most valuable young assets in Bukayo Saka.
The 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength across the past few years, graduating from the Hale End academy and now flourishing as an integral attacking option for both club and country, scoring three times in England’s recent World Cup run.
With Saka’s contract set to expire in 2024, and Mikel Arteta desperate to tie him down to a new deal, Arsenal might have to face the nauseous prospect of parting with their homegrown gem, should a new agreement fail to materialise.
A lucrative star
Arsenal’s €120m (£103m)-valued winger, as rated by the CIES Football Observatory, has truly been one of the driving forces behind his club’s monumental ascension to prominence.
Having scored five goals and delivered six assists across 20 club outings so far this term, Saka’s offensive prowess and blend of pace, weaving runs and creative flair, iced with a growing prolific nature in direct forward moments, has made him one of the most highly-regarded youngsters in world football, earning him a nomination for the Kopa Trophy this year.
In the Premier League this season, the 21-year-old has an average Sofascore rating of 7.22, averaging 2.1 shots per match and completing 84% of his passes, demonstrating a ball-playing prowess which complements his precision in his relentless wide attacking role.
Should Arsenal be inclined to sell their flourishing winger, a lucrative fee would surely be demanded; and with City boasting opulence unrivalled by most clubs worldwide and strengthening ties between the two teams – Gunners boss Arteta was part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at City, with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus also swapping the Etihad for the Emirates – a deal could well be forged.
City have already shown that they are willing to spend big to lure players from Premier League rivals, signing Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100m and Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City for £60m, hinting that a lofty price tag would do little to deter them in any pursuit of Saka.
Arsenal would have a task on their hands in rebuffing any interest from their title rivals, but with their “starboy” a member of the club since his youth career and the team currently flying, Edu might be able to ward off advances from elsewhere.
However, should they decide to cash in on the 21-year-old, the seismic fee that the Gunners’ “revelation” – as hailed by club legend Ray Parlour – will attract could enable them to delve into the transfer market and replace him with a marquee signing of their own.
