Why Sterling to Chelsea has put Arsenal in a panic over Saka
Robin Bairner
- 23 Jul 2022 09:03 BST
- 3 min read
Raheem Sterling’s transfer from Manchester City to Chelsea has caused ripples across north London, with Arsenal suddenly finding themselves under pressure to tie star man Bukayo Saka down to a new contract as a result.
Arsenal were interested in Sterling early in the transfer window but were able to pin down the England attacker, who instead moved to their rivals.
But missing out on the 27-year-old was one thing – potentially losing their best player because of it is another entirely.
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That is the stark reality of the position that the Gunners find themselves in presently as big-spending Man City continue to target Saka.
Indeed, Pep Guardiola is reported by the Daily Mail to see Saka as his “dream” replacement for Sterling.
Will Saka leave Arsenal?
Arsenal are fighting to ensure that Saka does not leave the club, and certainly there are no indications that the 20-year-old is presently unsettled at the Emirates Stadium.
The winger, though, is approaching a key turning point in his career, which is set to play out over the next year. He has one year left on his contract with the Gunners, and if no agreement can be thrashed out over the months ahead, the probability is that he will be available to move next summer as the London club will not want to see him depart for nothing.
Saka is valued at €54 million by FootballTransfers, making him the fifth most-valuable player under 21 in the world. Indeed, he trails a quartet of 19-year-olds: Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, Pedri of Barcelona and Bayern Munich rising star Jamal Musiala.
Having scored 23 times and created 29 more in 131 outings for Arsenal, Saka has already established himself as a critical player for the club both in the present and the future.
