Charles Watts thinks elite clubs are making contact over Arsenal star right now

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Arsenal have been handed a warning by Charles Watts regarding Bukayo Saka’s future at the Emirates Stadium.

The Goal.com journalist, speaking on his YouTube channel, believes clubs are already circling around the Gunners star.

Saka is one of the first names on Mikel Arteta’s teamsheet and is developing into a bona fide world-class player.

In July 2020, the 20-year-old signed a new contract at Arsenal which will take him to the summer of 2024.

According to football.london, Arsenal are planning to offer Saka a new deal at the end of the current campaign.

In addition, Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that the England international is “in love with Arsenal”.

On paper, it looks as though there’s no cause for urgency regarding Saka and a new Gunners contract.

“Things going on behind the scenes”

However, Watts believes Arsenal need to show Saka that they can match his ambitions on the pitch.

“My thoughts are, if Arsenal are going to keep the likes of Bukayo Saka at the club, a player who everyone in Europe will want, then they need to start living up to his sort of ambitions,” he said.

“You can’t rely on the whole Hale End emotional tie for too long. That might last for one contract, possibly two.

“But when you’re as good as Saka, when you’ve got as high a ceiling as Saka, and you’ve got everyone in Europe basically knocking on your door… that emotional tie will only go so much.

“For Saka, that (clubs knocking) will be around now.

“He’s only got two years left on his contract so there will be certainly things going on behind the scenes in terms of feeling out the agent, talking about what potential money could be, so Arsenal are going to have to deal with that.”

Arsenal are doing well on the pitch at present, remaining on course for Champions League qualification.

The Gunners are sixth in the Premier League table, just two points below the top four.

In addition, Arsenal have three games in hand on the two teams directly above them in the standings.