---
title: "Man City now “watching developments” over Bukayo Saka"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-now-watching-developments-on-70k-per-week-world-cup-star-saka-pep-guardiola-manchester-city-transfer-england/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Samuel Slaney"
section: "Manchester City News"
published: "2022-11-24T17:45:27Z"
modified: "2022-11-24T17:45:27Z"
---

# Man City now “watching developments” over Bukayo Saka

**[Manchester City](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/) boss Pep Guardiola is “a huge fan” of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and views the World Cup forward as a “dream” replacement for Raheem Sterling, according to [The Mail.](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11458687/Jude-Bellingham-spark-130m-bidding-war-summer-Bukayo-Saka-set-cash-in.html)**

### The Lowdown: Saka’s success

It feels as though Saka has been around for ages. And with over [150 appearances](https://www.fotmob.com/players/961995/bukayo-saka) made for Arsenal across a three-and-a-half year span, he has.

Yet he is still just 21-years-old, having hit a [career high returns total](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bukayo-saka/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/433177) last season aged 20.

[11 goals and seven assists](https://www.fotmob.com/players/961995/bukayo-saka) saw Saka lead Arsenal to [fifth-place](https://www.fotmob.com/teams/9825/history/arsenal/players) last term, finishing as the club’s [highest goal-scorer](https://www.fotmob.com/teams/9825/stats/arsenal/players) in the[Premier League.](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/manchester-city-news/)

### The Latest: Pep’s dream

Having secured the medium-term future of Guardiola, Manchester City arguably carry the highest level of prestige throughout the European football landscape, offering a safe yet expressive, serial-winning platform for the game’s brightest stars.

Saka is one of those potential stars, with a report by [Sami Mokbel and Adrian Kajumba](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11458687/Jude-Bellingham-spark-130m-bidding-war-summer-Bukayo-Saka-set-cash-in.html) of the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11458687/Jude-Bellingham-spark-130m-bidding-war-summer-Bukayo-Saka-set-cash-in.html) stating that Pep and Co are “watching developments closely” as Arsenal commence talks with the star over a new contract.

### The Verdict: Mate’s rates

The acquisition of Saka would represent an esteemed transfer coup for Manchester City, who would benefit from the arrival of a fresh inverted presence like the 21-year-old.

The same [report](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11458687/Jude-Bellingham-spark-130m-bidding-war-summer-Bukayo-Saka-set-cash-in.html) from the Daily Mail states that Arsenal are in talks to triple the World Cup star’s [£70k-per-week](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11458687/Jude-Bellingham-spark-130m-bidding-war-summer-Bukayo-Saka-set-cash-in.html) wages and remain confident that he will sign a new deal.

If the unthinkable happens and Saka holds off on committing his long-term future at the Emirates, he will still have a good few years before his contract expires, so City would need to fork out a hefty fee.

If the twist is to occur, Pep will be hoping for a ‘mate’s rates’ deal with mentee Mikel Arteta, but for now, the Cityzens are monitoring form afar.