Saka explains why new Arsenal contract was “an easy choice”

Bukayo Saka has insisted it was an easy choice for him to extend his contract with Arsenal, believing the club are heading in the right direction.

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Bukayo Saka recently extended his Arsenal contract for the long-term, and speaking after the announcement the winger admitted it wasn’t a difficult decision for him to make.

“On my side, it was an easy choice,” Saka told CNN Sports. “The club is going in the right direction, for sure, we have an amazing team and we are back fighting for every trophy. There’s no place I’d rather be.

“[That loyalty] comes from many places. From my love for this club, for the trust they have put in me, from the connection I have to the team to the staff, to everyone upstairs at the club, to the fans.

“Emirates Stadium is my favourite stadium to play at no matter how many times I play there. So there’s many things.”

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There’s been some confusion over the exact length of Saka’s new contract, with initial reports that it was a “five-year deal” to 2031, but subsequent claims it’s more of a “five-season” deal to 2030.

In effect, that would mean the contract actually lasts four-and-a-half years, taking us to the end of the current campaign and then four years beyond that.

Arsenal and Saka have been in contract talks for quite a while now, so it’s possible the confusion stems from the fact that when negotiations stepped up last summer, it was five years to 2030 at the time.

Either way, the deal will last until Saka is in his late twenties. If it ends in 2030, he’ll be a few months away from his 29th birthday. If it’s a year later, he’ll be almost 30.

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Saka’s new deal will make him Arsenal’s best-paid player, on wages in excess of £300,000 per week. His previous contract was due to expire in 2027, so this was definitely one the club needed to get sorted before moving into his final season.

The focus is now purely on football, staying fit, and winning trophies. Saka has eight goals and seven assists this season, with Arsenal still competing in four competitions. But nothing is won yet, and the team will need their best players to keep stepping up.