Bukayo Saka has committed to his boyhood club Arsenal with a long-term contract extension and says he believes he can “achieve big things” with the Gunners.
The England international has been an instrumental figure for Mikel Arteta’s side during their surprise Premier League title challenge this season, producing 13 goals and 11 assists in 37 league games.
Arsenal didn’t announce the length of the new deal other than to say it was “long-term”. His previous contract was set to expire in the summer of 2024.
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“I think this is the right club, the right place to make the next step. It’s a beautiful club – look where we are,” Saka told the Arsenal website.
“For me, it’s about achieving my personal ambitions – how much I push myself and demand from myself each game, week in, week out. Then I have all the right people around me in terms of family, and when I come to the training ground, my team-mates, the coaching staff.
“I think I have everything I need to become the best player I can be, and that’s why I’m happy to stay here and be here for the future, because I really believe that we can achieve big things.”
But with Champions League football coming back to the Emirates and Mikel Arteta’s young side showing promising signs for the future, Saka believes the future is bright.
“Time is on our side. You can look at our team and a lot of the players are young,” he added.
“We’re hungry, and a lot of us haven’t won trophies at Arsenal so we want to achieve big things. If you watch the way we all speak, we want to win and we want to win here.
“It’s been too long since this club has had Champions League football. I’m really looking forward to Tuesday and Wednesday nights in this stadium, the atmosphere is going to be special.”
Aged 21, Saka has already accumulated vast experience, making 178 senior appearances for Arsenal and earning 26 England caps that have included a run to the Euro 2020 final and World Cup quarter-finals.
“It’s great for the club that Bukayo has extended his contract,” said Arteta.
“Retaining our best young talents is key to our continued progress and Bukayo represents such an important part of our squad now and for the future.
“As well as being a fantastic talent, Bukayo is a special person, he’s loved by us all and he is a credit to himself and his family for the hard work and commitment they have all made to get to this level today.
“Together with our supporters, we’re so looking forward to enjoying Bukayo’s continued development with us in the years to come.”
The curtain will fall on Arsenal’s season on Sunday with the visit of Wolves, but Arteta’s side are already guaranteed to finish in second place – their highest finish for seven years.
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