Arsenal set to smash £400m barrier for the very first time with new Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber contracts

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal’s squad building continues, as Andrea Berta works hard to strengthen and solidify the current options at his disposal.

The sporting director has only been in place for a few months, but he has got through plenty of work in his time at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal spent £250 million in the summer transfer window, adding eight quality options to their team for a busy season ahead.

Then there’s been some busy work on the contract front, with new deals for Gabriel Magalhaes, Ethan Nwaneri, and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The latest move saw William Saliba sign a new contract at Arsenal, but he isn’t expected to be the only one anytime soon.

TBR Football understands that talks are set up with Bukayo Saka over a new contract, while Arsenal are readying an offer to Jurrien Timber over an extension.

With the pair closing in on some potential new deals, the Arsenal wage budget is set to rise again, potentially breaking through a big financial barrier.

• READ MORE: After Odegaard withdrawal, Arsenal have another injury update for the international break

Arsenal wage bill ready to break £400 million mark with new contracts

With eight new signings and several new deals in the work, the Arsenal wage bill is set to rise again over the course of the season.

It’s likely to hit the £400 million mark, with Mikel Arteta having plenty of options now at his disposal for the future.

TBR Football’s finance expert, Adam Williams, explained the situation surrounding Arsenal’s wages.

He said: “At the last count, Arsenal’s wage bill was just under £328 million. That figure comes from 2023-24.

“We’ll know more about their current position when the 2024-25 accounts are released in the spring. Their wages-to-turnover ratio at that stage was one of the lowest in the Premier League. Only three sides were lower – and yes, one of them was Spurs.

“The two Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea, all had higher payrolls in overall terms. So while they did lose some money in that financial year, they had plenty of room on paper to increase the overall wage bill.

“The finance expert Greg Cordell estimates that the Arsenal payroll will have risen to close to £350 million in 2024-25, and I’d suggest they’ll be getting closer to £400 million this season, which is in the same ballpark as Man City and Liverpool at the very top of the tree.

“The new deals for Gabriel, Saliba and Saka will all be on improved terms, but I doubt that they will move the dial too much.

“Let’s say each of them is earning an extra £75,000 per week, which equates to just under £12 million in extra costs per year. Signing-on fees and agents’ fees are then rolled up in Arsenal’s amortisation bill.

“So the wage bill is getting very big, but the flip side is that they retain the value of these three players – all of whom are among the best in the world in their positions. And you have to reward players who are performing.

“The one area of concern here is UEFA’s Squad Cost Ratio rule, which limits Arsenal to spending no more than 70 per cent of revenue plus a three-year average on player sale profits on first-team wages, transfers and agents’ fees.

“Arsenal are getting pretty close by my calculations, and there have been some suggestions in the media recently that Richard Garlick feels the same.”

It would be the first time that Arsenal would smash that barrier for wages, showing just how much they have grown in recent years.

• READ MORE: David Silva believes star Arsenal released is one of the very best he’s ever played with, Arsene Wenger must agree

Arsenal may face a quiet 2026 summer transfer window after deals

Arsenal’s busy 2025 summer transfer window was needed, with Arteta requiring extra quality and depth within his squad.

However, while that business has been conducted, there is little room for the Gunners to make moves elsewhere.

No Arsenal players are out of contract in 2026, which may not be a bad thing, but it does mean a lack of natural churn within the squad.

Add to that the high wages within the team and the big business already conducted, and it suggests there is little room for movement over the next year.

It remains to be seen whether that will change, if some players prefer a new challenge or if other clubs come in for their services.