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Arsenal must offer whatever it takes to hold onto hot prospect – opinion

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has a rebuilding job on his hands at the Emirates Stadium after the club was left in a state of disarray by former boss Unai Emery.

In the past, Arsenal have had high profile issues with contracts, such as Alexis Sanchez running his down then reportedly signing a new deal before moving to Manchester United and the ongoing situation regarding Mesut Ozil’s deal for £350,000 a week. As the start of a new chapter, this is an issue Arteta must address and one player who has broken through this term and enters the final year of his deal next season is Bukayo Saka.

At present, it appears both parties are yet to break through on extending the 18-year-old’s current deal with the club, and over the course of the summer, preventing his existing contract running into the final year should be a top priority.

Even though he has often had to deputise at left-back, Saka has been exceptional this season, especially in the Europa League, where he has two goals and four assists from four appearances. Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac’s misfortunes have been to the teenager’s benefit as he has been entrusted to hold down the left-back position on seven occasions.

While the experience he has gained as part of the back four has been invaluable, it is clear that Saka’s future lies further up the field with three of his assists and one of his goals having come from being played as a left attacking midfielder. As he showed early on in the FA Cup against A.F.C Bournemouth, by firing in a rasping drive off the crossbar, that is where he has the most significant effect on proceedings.

As a vital part of the Gunners rebuild, Arteta must extend Saka’s stay with the north London side. Bringing through youth talent is a significant part of reclaiming the identity of a club which came under question with the previous manager at the helm. As one of the multiple youth players to break through this term, along with Joseph Willock and Gabriel Martinelli, they should form the foundation of the future at the Emirates Stadium.

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