If you had to pick Arsenal’s Player of the Year now, it’s going to be Bukayo Saka.
Despite being 19, Saka has been the Gunners’ most reliable and trustworthy player during an otherwise pretty mixed campaign in North London.
Even when Arsenal were 15th in the Premier League and there were relegation jokes doing the rounds, the teenager is one of the few who could hold his head high for his standard of performance.
And really, Edu is probably already thinking about rewarding him with a new deal.
It’s only been around nine months since Arsenal last signed Saka up to a new long-term deal, but his stock continues to rise and despite being one of their academy players, he could be tempted away.
That’s because Saka is only earning £30,000 per week and it goes without saying that he could earn substantially more if a Manchester City were to express an interest, for example.
Fans of the Emirates Stadium club won’t want to think about the idea of losing him to a rival, but Arsenal have to be pragmatic and realise that if they insist on paying one of Europe’s brightest young talents less money than Mohamed Elneny and Calum Chambers – who both earn £20,000 more per week – then they’re vulnerable to also losing one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
Saka is a player who the North Londoners can build their future around and therefore, Edu must ensure he’ll be around in the long term.
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