Arsenal reportedly refused to include a release clause in Bukayo Saka’s new contract with the club, opting instead to tie him down to a shorter deal.
It seems the Gunners were not keen to include any kind of a clause that could trigger a future transfer for Saka, deciding that a compromise on the length of the deal would be the safer option for them, according to the Daily Mail.
This means the England international has only extended his stay at the Emirates Stadium until 2027, which carries its own risks as Arsenal could find themselves in a weaker negotiating position in a few years’ time.
It surely makes sense, however, for Saka to insist on a possible get-out of Arsenal, who might not be able to live up to his own ambitions and expectations unless they are really successful at building on the surprise success they’ve had this season.
That won’t be easy for the north London giants, who still look like they have a lot of work to do to close the gap on Manchester City, while the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will surely improve over the summer and be stronger challengers themselves next term.
Tying down Saka will undoubtedly help Arsenal, but it will be interesting to see if this compromise on the length of his contract ends up being something they regret backing down on.
Keep him for 2 years then sell him for £150 million if he lives up to his promise to get better and be worth his 300 k wages. If he doesn’t get better then Arsenal have dodged a long term commitment of paying £300k per week. Win Win for Arsenal.