Arsenal starlet Bukayo Saka looks set for a significant pay rise in a new contract despite the club seeking wage cuts among their squad due to the coronavirus outbreak.
After a stand-off between the board and players, Arsenal are now set to agree a plan for players to take a 12.5 per cent pay cut due to lost revenue from the disruption caused by the pandemic.
Despite this agreement being made, 18-year-old Saka, who has enjoyed an impressive break-out season at the Emirates, will earn significantly more than his current £5,000-a-week wages when the new deal is signed, according to The Athletic.
The London-born winger, who has also impressed at left-back this season, has been a positive part of a challenging season for the Gunners and looks set to extend his deal that was due to expire in June 2021, in a deal that was believed to be in the works before the coronavirus caused football to stand to a halt. Saka’s emergence has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, but boss Mikel Arteta has remained confident of securing the youngster’s long-term future.
“The club is doing what it has to do and is having conversations. (Hopefully) we’ll get it resolved.” Arteta told The Sun last month.
The North London club had been seeking the players to reduce their wages in order to allow non-playing staff to continue receiving all of their wages as uncertainty hangs over football due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
It was previously thought that Arsenal players were against reducing their wages but now look set to follow in Arteta’s example by taking pay cuts. Arsenal’s agreement of pay cuts includes a clause that will see players recoup their lost wages should they qualify for next season’s Champions League plus a bonus of £100,000.
