January 2026 is a good time to be an Arsenal fan. Six points clear at the top of the Premier League, the only remaining side with a perfect record in the Champions League, and one step away from Wembley in the League Cup, the Gunners are truly flying. There is much to look forward to for the Emirates faithful in what has the makings of a spectacular season in north London.
Away from the performances on the pitch, early January provided further cause for celebration. Back to full fitness following an early-season hamstring injury, Bukayo Saka has committed his long-term future to the club.
£15 Million Per Season Deal
Saka’s previous deal, signed in May 2023 and due to expire in 2027, was believed to be worth around £200,000 per week. With the clock ticking down on his contract and the player attracting admiring glances from elsewhere, Arsenal have taken decisive action. The new five-year deal secures the services of one of the world’s elite wingers through the prime years of his career.
Saka has signed on the dotted line to remain at the Emirates until 2031, by which time he will be 30 years old. In committing his future to the club, Saka will reportedly earn an improved salary of £300,000 per week, equating to over £15 million per year. While a little behind the £350,000 per week earned by Mesut Özil between 2018 and 2021, Saka’s new contract takes him past Kai Havertz to become the club’s highest earner.
Worth Every Penny
Most fans will find it hard to relate to the wages of the modern Premier League footballer. After all, Saka will earn around 7.5 times the average annual UK salary every week. These are stratospheric numbers, but, unlike some similarly paid players, Saka at least has the stats and consistent performance levels to justify such investment. Since the start of the 2021/22 season, only Mo Salah, Erling Haaland, and Ollie Watkins have more Premier League goal involvements than the Arsenal number seven.
From the Academy to the Armband
Joining Arsenal as a seven-year-old, Saka is one of the Hale End Academy’s greatest success stories. Making his debut for the senior side as a 17-year-old in 2018, Saka initially established himself at left-back. However, it was only when he moved into his preferred right-wing position that he began to display the full extent of his talent.
Possessing a rare mix of dribbling ability, creativity, goals, and work ethic, Saka is now widely recognised as one of the finest right wingers in the global game. His overall influence on the Arsenal side is unmatched by any other player in the current squad. Since Mikel Arteta took charge in 2019, Saka is the Arsenal stats leader in minutes played, goals, assists, chances created, and shots.
In 2020/21 and 2021/22, Saka became the first back-to-back winner of the Arsenal Player of the Season award since a certain Thierry Henry. In 2022/23, his talent was honoured at a wider level when he won the PFA Young Player of the Year Award.
Throughout his rise to the top, Saka has displayed a level of intelligence, humility, and resilience not witnessed in every Premier League star. That attitude has earned the respect of his teammates and manager. Whenever Martin Ødegaard isn’t in the side, Mikel Arteta has no hesitation in handing the captain’s armband to Saka.
Is the Best Still to Come?
Saka seems to have been around for so long that it is easy to forget he is still only 24 years old. With many players not reaching their peak until around the age of 27, there is every chance that the Arsenal and England wide man is still improving.
Overall, the numbers support the theory that Saka’s career is trending upward. Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, he improved his goal tally in each successive season. In 2023/24, he finished as the club’s top scorer with 20 goals, plus 14 assists. At first glance, 12 goals and 13 assists in 2024/25 appear to represent a slight dip in form. However, he missed a significant chunk of that season through injury.
Solid Start to World Cup Year
With seven goals and six assists over the first half of the 2025/26 campaign, Saka is enjoying another successful season. England fans will hope that his form continues into the summer months.
England’s player of the year in 2021/22 and 2022/23, Saka is a key part of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup plans. Barring injury, Saka is certain to make the squad and will head to North America hoping to add to his 14 international goals. Already a global star, his profile will go through the roof if he helps lead the Three Lions to a long-overdue success.
Latest Deal to Secure Gunners’ Future
The summer of 2025 saw Arsenal make around £250 million worth of additions to the squad. However, it wasn’t all about the new men. Sporting director Andrea Berta also began the work of tying down the key players already in the building. Defensive lynchpins William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes both signed new deals, as did hugely promising young talents Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
How it started ⏪
Myles Lewis-Skelly has agreed to extend his contract at Arsenal!
The 18-year-old is expected to sign the new deal in the upcoming weeks. 🔴 pic.twitter.com/vPGFWydcu7
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 20, 2025
With Saka now confirming his commitment to the club, an improved package for Declan Rice is rumoured to be next on the agenda. For all the talk of Liverpool building a squad to dominate the game for the next decade, some would argue that Arsenal are better placed to do so than the Anfield club. With Saka leading the charge, the future looks bright at the Emirates Stadium.