Bukayo Saka has the last laugh after Arsenal's plan to prevent him from getting his own way backfires.
Arsenal's transfer window plans are in danger of deviating from the original plan, which could have ramifications for contract talks with first-team players already at the club.
Arsenal's golden boy, Bukayo Saka, may have the upper hand when it comes time for him and his representatives to enter contract negotiations with the Gunners.
Saka last signed an extension in 2020, shortly after Arsenal won the FA Cup, but with two years left on his contract, the club wants to tie his future to a new deal that extends beyond 2024. Having said that, the club may need to start making some assurances to the England international before he signs a new contract.
Saka is no longer a promising young academy hopeful like he was the last time he signed an extension; he is now a fully-fledged star in his own right who spent the last season effectively carrying the club's fortunes on his back.
Folarin Balogun and Eddie Nketiah, both Hale End graduates, are also represented by the same agency. Both of the aforementioned players recently received significant pay raises as well as contract extensions, indicating that those negotiating on their behalf clearly understand what it takes to extract additional compensation from Arsenal.
It has been suggested that Arsenal's recent pursuit of Leeds United winger Raphinha was intended not only to bolster their squad depth with an extremely talented wide-man, but also to give them something to cling to when negotiating with Saka and his team.
As of now, if Saka expresses a desire to leave the club, it would be disastrous for Arsenal because he is unquestionably the face, the poster boy, of the project Mikel Arteta is overseeing at the Emirates. While any potential Saka exit in the coming summers would have been felt keenly, it would not have been disaster if Raphinha had arrived.
Notwithstanding, Arsenal's attempt to gain bargaining power over their young number seven appears to have backfired, as Raphinha looks set to join Chelsea after the Blues rejected the Gunners' most recent offer. The new Todd Boehly-led Stamford Bridge outfit paid £55 million plus add-ons for the Brazilian's signature, and all that remains is to agree on personal terms.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will have to start over if they want to bring in another right-sided forward to compete with the currently indispensable Saka. There are a few names the Gunners could approach, but none are as good as Raphinha and certainly not as good as their current right-sided star.
If Saka has yet to sign an extension with the club and has only one year left on his contract before potentially leaving on a free transfer, Arsenal may be at the mercy of their home-grown superstar next summer.
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