Bukayo Saka's Massive Pay Rise: How Arsenal's Star Now Stacks Up Against Premier League Elite

Bukayo Saka's fresh five-year contract at Arsenal will allegedly establish him as the club's top wage earner and among the Premier League's most handsomely compensated athletes.

The homegrown Arsenal talent has been recognized for maintaining a photograph of himself during grassroots football displayed on his refrigerator. The 24-year-old appears to remain the same humble individual, yet now operates within a financial realm vastly different from most of his football contemporaries, not to mention ordinary people.

Reports emerged this week that following smooth discussions, Arsenal had dashed the slim hopes of numerous observers by advancing to the concluding phases of securing updated terms with Saka. The agreement is expected to extend through summer 2031, with The Guardian reporting his weekly wages will reach approximately £300,000 ($402,000).

Saka previously earned an estimated £200,000 weekly under his former contract, scheduled to conclude in 2027, marking a substantial 50% pay rise.

The identical report identifies Arsenal's former highest-paid player as Kai Havertz, believed to receive around £280,000 weekly. Saka will now claim the title of north London's top earner, and rightfully so. Though only 24, the academy product has emerged as one of the squad's evident leaders, frequently donning the captain's armband when primary captain Martin Ødegaard is absent.

The Norwegian midfielder is expected to be among the next candidates for contract renewal as his deal concludes in 2028, while Declan Rice has been identified as the extension priority.

The dynamic midfielder is arguably the club's most crucial and talented player, altering the team's character through his presence. The performance gap between Saka and Noni Madueke, or Ødegaard and Eberechi Eze, pales compared to the stark difference when Rice is absent from the lineup.

Saka doesn't quite claim the record as Arsenal's highest-paid player in history—that distinction allegedly belongs to the controversial Mesut Özil, who still had half a year left on a contract reportedly worth £350,000 weekly when he departed the club amid controversy in January 2021.

How Bukayo Saka's Wages Compare to Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah

Saka's wages are impressive but don't match the league's most generously compensated individuals.

Despite its imperfections, football operates largely as a merit-based system. Clubs that compensate their players most generously typically succeed over time, suggesting the highest earners represent the sport's elite performers. Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have divided the previous three Premier League Golden Boot awards and, predictably, are widely regarded as holders of the division's most profitable deals.

Following extensive negotiations, Salah notably signed a fresh two-year extension with Liverpool last April. The Telegraph indicated then that the 33-year-old could earn up to £480,000 weekly if all performance incentives are met. Despite experiencing a somewhat average season, the veteran forward's weekly base salary, believed to be around £400,000, still significantly surpasses Saka's new arrangement.

Haaland has strived to accomplish every conceivable milestone during another prolific scoring season. Manchester City's unstoppable star signed an extraordinary nine-and-a-half-year contract last January reportedly earning him £500,000 weekly, according to The Guardian.

Saka isn't even the Premier League's top-earning English player. Jack Grealish's City deal grants him a comparable £300,000 weekly while Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling can claim a weekly wage of £325,000, per The Times. Considering neither has received England selection under Thomas Tuchel and both have yet to feature in Premier League action for their employers this season, substantial salaries don't always guarantee substantial outcomes.

As the legendary former Juventus president Gianni Agnelli once reflected: "Mediocre footballers are undoubtedly overpaid. The exceptional ones never receive adequate compensation."