Here are all the Arsenal records Bukayo Saka could now break as his new contract is sealed
Bukayo Saka has committed his future to Arsenal by signing a new contract that will see him tied down at the Emirates Stadium until at least 2031.
The new deal is expected to see the winger earn over £300,000 per week and become the Gunners’ highest-paid player.
There had never been any doubt over the England international’s intentions, but it will come as a relief that he has now put pen to paper.
Saka joined the Arsenal academy when he was just eight years old, and made his debut in 2018.
He has since gone on to make 296 appearances for the Gunners, and appears to be set to make many, many more.
Where could Bukayo Saka end up on the all-time Arsenal appearance list?
Saka has suffered from several injury issues this season, but should he stay fit, he will make his 300th appearance for Arsenal when they travel to Brighton in March.
A staggering number, considering the winger does not turn 25 until September. It is an indicator of just how key he has been since his emergence at the Emirates Stadium in 2019.
There have been drawbacks to such involvement, however. Saka’s string of injuries in the last couple of seasons likely stems from overplaying, although Arsenal have finally secured a back-up in Noni Madueke.
Mikel Arteta will hope to protect the England international more going forward, with his involvement set to be key if the Gunners are finally to lift the Premier League in May.
Arsenal are currently on course to play the maximum amount of games across all competitions this season – a total of 65 if they make it to every final.
Saka has appeared in 33 of 41 so far, and will hope to feature in many games remaining this season.
But to make it onto the top 10 list of all-time Arsenal appearance makers, he will need another 182 appearances to dethrone Peter Simpson.
If that sounds absurd, Saka will need another 427 to break David O’Leary’s record of 722 all-time appearances for the Gunners.
Even if Arsenal were to play the maximum 65 games in every campaign, with the winger appearing in each and every one, it would still take around six and a half seasons.
A more conservative estimate may see the 24-year-old break into the top eight by beating Peter Storey’s 501 appearances, for which he’d need another 206.
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Could Saka challenge Thierry Henry’s record?
Saka needs another 151 goals to equal Thierry Henry‘s record of 228 for Arsenal, a bridge likely too far for the winger.
Ian Wright’s tally of 185, which he achieved in just 288 games, is likely out of reach, too.
| Arsenal all-time top goal-scorers | Goals |
| Thierry Henry | 228 |
| Ian Wright | 185 |
| Cliff Bastin | 178 |
| John Radford | 149 |
| Jimmy Brain | 139 |
But the top 10 is well in reach for the 24-year-old. To equal David Jack’s record of 124, Saka would need another 47 goals, and he would break it if he scored at least nine per season.
The top five is slightly trickier but still possible for the 24-year-old, who would need to net over 12 goals a season for the next five to beat Jimmy Brain’s record.
There is no doubt that Saka will go down as an Arsenal legend – but he will hope to leave with a trophy cabinet to match with those he attempts to chase down in the record books.