According to the Daily Mail, Manchester City want to sign Arsenal wonderkid Bukayo Saka as a replacement for Raheem Sterling.
What’s the story?
Well, Sterling’s £45m move to Chelsea seems to have caused a slight problem for Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal are currently trying to tie Saka down to a new contract, although the Daily Mail believe interest from Pep Guardiola has now added “a layer of complication” to negotiations with the 20-year-old.
The England international has less than two years remaining on his current deal, which expires in June 2024.
Furthermore, the Daily Mail state that Arsenal have intensified talks with Saka, as they aim to lock him into a new contract before Manchester City’s interest gathers pace.
Interestingly, the Gunners are prepared to make their No.7 one of the highest earners at the Emirates Stadium.
With Thomas Partey currently on £200,000-a-week, Saka can therefore expect to see his current £30,000-a-week earnings skyrocket if he stays in north London.
However, as we all know, Manchester City could easily afford to multiply Saka’s current salary by ten, especially after removing Gabriel Jesus and Sterling from the wage bill.
Guardiola’s interest in the Hale End graduate comes after he impressively scored 12 goals in 43 appearances last season, while also providing seven assists.
Arsenal must fend off Manchester City
In our view, losing Saka to Manchester City would set Arteta’s project back years – it simply cannot happen.
The Londoner is the jewel in Arsenal’s crown at the moment, their poster boy, their talisman, their everything.
Not only would the Gunners be strengthening a direct rival if they lost Saka to the Citizens, but the mood around the Emirates Stadium would go down like a lead balloon.
It would throw supporters back to the nightmare of seeing Robin van Persie join Manchester United, while also evoking similar pain from the loss of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona.
Under Arteta, we thought those days were over, but Saka to Manchester City would unquestionably rip open a number of wounds across north London.
Be sure to keep an eye on updates regarding Saka’s contract, as things could now become very interesting.
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