Arsenal face pressure to include release clause in Saka contract offer

Arsenal are under pressure to include a release clause in the new contract they are planning to offer Bukayo Saka, with formal talks with his representatives due to start at the end of the season.

The 20-year-old England forward effectively has two years left on his deal, as Arsenal have the option of triggering an additional 12 months to the three-year contract he signed in 2020, but the club want to tie him down for considerably longer.

Saka is happy at Arsenal and has a good relationship with manager Mikel Arteta, but he wants to play in the Champions League so may be reluctant to commit himself without an exit strategy.

As with most of the big English clubs, Arsenal do not ordinarily insert release clauses into their players’ contracts to ensure they only ever sell from a position of strength, but they may be forced to make an exception for Saka.

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Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia has told Chelsea’s prospective new owners that she is willing to stay on to run the club’s operations during this summer’s transfer window, but her long-term future at Stamford Bridge remains in doubt. 

The Russian-Canadian businesswoman has worked closely with Roman Abramovich for 25 years and it is unclear if she is prepared to sever links with Chelsea’s former owner in order to keep her job despite having been on the club’s board for the last nine years. 

Granovskaia’s willingness to lead Chelsea’s transfer talks in the short term remains a welcome boost however, as she is the best-connected executive at the club.

Manager Thomas Tuchel has complained Chelsea’s transfer plans are behind schedule due to the uncertainty created by the takeover battle and it promises to be a hectic summer, with replacements