da brwin： Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is “a huge fan” of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and views the World Cup forward as a “dream” replacement for Raheem Sterling, according to The Mail.

The Lowdown: Saka’s success

da roleta： It feels as though Saka has been around for ages. And with over 150 appearances made for Arsenal across a three-and-a-half year span, he has. 

Yet he is still just 21-years-old, having hit a career high returns total last season aged 20.

11 goals and seven assists saw Saka lead Arsenal to fifth-place last term, finishing as the club’s highest goal-scorer in the Premier League. 

The Latest: Pep’s dream

Having secured the medium-term future of Guardiola, Manchester City arguably carry the highest level of prestige throughout the European football landscape, offering a safe yet expressive, serial-winning platform for the game’s brightest stars. 

Saka is one of those potential stars, with a report by Sami Mokbel and Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mail stating that Pep and Co are “watching developments closely” as Arsenal commence talks with the star over a new contract. 

The Verdict: Mate’s rates

The acquisition of Saka would represent an esteemed transfer coup for Manchester City, who would benefit from the arrival of a fresh inverted presence like the 21-year-old. 

The same report from the Daily Mail states that Arsenal are in talks to triple the World Cup star’s £70k-per-week wages and remain confident that he will sign a new deal. 

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

If the unthinkable happens and Saka holds off on committing his long-term future at the Emirates, he will still have a good few years before his contract expires, so City would need to fork out a hefty fee. 

If the twist is to occur, Pep will be hoping for a ‘mate’s rates’ deal with mentee Mikel Arteta, but for now, the Cityzens are monitoring form afar.