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LONDON. — Bukayo Saka will become Arsenal’s top earner when he signs a new five-year contract worth up to £300 000-a-week.

The 21-year-old England international has been in talks with the club for more than a year and is now ready to put pen to paper.

And the agreement will more than quadruple his current £70 000-a-week salary to make him the club’s highest paid player.

The England star is close to extending his stay at the Emirates Stadium in a deal worth around £300 000 per-week. Saka’s current contract was due to run out in 2024 — just 15 months away. However, he will now pen an extension to take him through to the summer of 2028.

He will overtake Gabriel Jesus in the Emirates pecking order after the Brazilian striker agreed a £250 000-a-week deal when he signed from Manchester City for £45million last summer.

Manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu were both keen to reward Saka’s efforts with a deal which reflects his status as the team’s most valuable player.

And though he won’t be getting quite as much as the £350 000-a-week deal which made Mesut Ozil the highest paid player in the club’s history, a breakthrough was still reached last month following negotiations to iron out the final details over various bonus payments.

Now the club are set to announce the lengthy new deal to 2028 which will end all the speculation surrounding Saka’s long-term future and delight Gunners supporters.

And with Gabriel Martinelli having already signed a new deal to 2027 and talks with William Saliba progressing, Arteta is assured of keeping the core of his young squad together for Arsenal’s impending return to the Champions League next season.

The club currently have an eight-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table but Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand.

The two will meet in a crunch game at the Etihad next month that could have a big say in the outcome of the title.

Saka is enjoying a stunning individual season as well and continues to impress despite the high bar he has already set himself.

The star has 12 goals and 10 assists in the league this season, already his best return in a single campaign.

A new deal is richly deserved for Saka, who has been outstanding for Arsenal this season. The 21-year-old became the first player to register double-figures for goals and assists in the English Premier League when he produced a scintillating individual performance against Crystal Palace on March 19.

Saka now has 12 goals and 10 assists in the top-flight this term. Although a new contract is the least Saka deserves, becoming the highest paid player doesn’t always mean instant, or anymore success at the Gunners.

Back in 2012, Lukas Podolski became the Gunners’ highest earner when he made the move from Koln. The winger was pocketing a mammoth £157 000 per-week and he showed his qualities in his first campaign, scoring 16 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions. But it went downhill from that point as Podolski struggled to produce on a consistent level and ended up losing his place in Arsene Wenger’s side during the 2014/15 season. When asked about his lack of game time, Podolski said at the time: “Of course I am not happy with my situation right now. I can’t be satisfied with that. — The Sun