Integral Arsenal star to have wages almost doubled in huge new deal, as Edu plans contract overhaul
An important Arsenal player is set to receive a major contract offer which will almost double his current earnings, according to reports.
Arsenal chief Edu Gaspar, who moved up from technical director to sporting director in November, is planning a contract overhaul at the Emirates. He wants to tie down several of Mikel Arteta’s best players, including Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba.
On December 17, transfer insider Graeme Bailey told TEAMtalk Arsenal are ‘doing everything they can’ to keep Saka. They are in talks with the winger and his agent over a contract extension which would make him the highest paid player at the club.
There is a bit of a rush to get Saka tied down. This is because Manchester City ‘would love the chance to land him’ if an Arsenal exit became a possibility.
Arsenal are also in advanced discussions with Martinelli. Like Saka, his current deal expires in summer 2024 and this has led to rumours of a transfer elsewhere. Barcelona are thought to be keeping tabs on his situation.
In December, the Daily Mail reported that Martinelli was set to pen a new deal at Arsenal. This has yet to be announced, but Edu will be pushing to get it over the line.
Centre-back Saliba is also in line for fresh Arsenal terms. And his salary could rise from £40,000 a week to £120,000 a week.
Saka, Martinelli and Saliba are not the only Arsenal stars who could earn new contracts in the near future. According to CaughtOffside, who cite reports coming out of Spain, Martin Odegaard will soon ‘be offered a bumper new contract’.
Martin Odegaard influential to Arsenal success
The midfielder, who Arteta named as captain in July last year, is enjoying a brilliant campaign. He is central to pretty much everything Arsenal do in the final third, and his record demonstrates that. Odegaard has notched seven goals and five assists in 22 games this season.
Odegaard’s situation is a little bit less urgent than Saka, Martinelli or Saliba’s. This is because his current deal runs for an extra year, until June 2025.
Nevertheless, Edu wants to reward Odegaard for his top-class performances this term. As such, the playmaker will have his wages almost doubled.
The report states he earns €6million (around £5.3m) per year at the moment. But if he accepts the new deal he will soon be offered, then he will take home €10m (around £8.8m) a year.
This works out at just over £170,000 per week. This would make Odegaard the third-highest earner at the north London side, behind only Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey.
Gunners to spend big money – but it is definitely worth it
This is an ambitious plan for Edu to draw up. Arsenal will spend a lot more on salaries if they hand pay rises to Saka, Martinelli, Saliba and Odegaard.
However, this is what must be done if they are to continue on their upward trajectory under Arteta. If Arsenal fail to negotiate new deals, then their Premier League and European rivals will swoop in for their best players.
After joining Real Madrid at just 16, Odegaard struggled to have a big impact in Spain – so it is great to see him now starring at an illustrious club such as Arsenal.
The report claims Odegaard to be one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. He seemed to be way off this when he first arrived at Arsenal. But Arteta has gotten the best out of the 24-year-old. And it is now hard to argue against him being one of the best globally in his position.
Meanwhile, Arsenal and Liverpool are heavily interested in signing a prolific Ligue 1 attacker, according to reports.
