Arsenal open talks with Arteta favourite, with risky winger deal to come with giant pay rise

Arsenal have opened talks with one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted attackers regarding a new contract that will come with a significant pay increase, according to a report.

The Gunners’ season stalled prior to the international break, with Arsenal failing to win any of their last four Premier League encounters (two draws, two defeats).

An inability to create chances from open play in the absence of Martin Odegaard was a key issue. The likes of Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka were starved of goalscoring opportunities and did little to create for themselves.

Trossard, 29, has come in for criticism this season despite proving himself a reliable scorer of key goals during his first 18 months at The Emirates.

And according to Mail Plus, Arsenal are ready to hand the Belgium international a bumper new contract despite his dip in form and the fact he turns 30 next month.

Trossard was described as an ‘important player’ for Arteta and as such, talks with the player’s camp over a new deal have commenced.

Trossard remains on the three-and-a-half year deal he penned when joining from Brighton in January of 2023 (expiring in 2026).

He currently pockets £90,000-a-week and per the report, he’ll be granted a ‘significant pay rise’ which will see his salary ‘surge into six figures.’

READ MORE: The key contract details of every Arsenal first-team player: Expiry dates, weekly wages, agents…

Arsenal shut down Saudi interest in Trossard

Trossard has bagged just two goals and provided just one assist in 15 appearances this season.

Nevertheless, he remains a trusted performer for Arteta and the versatile attacker does boast a healthy goal contribution-per-minute ratio.

Trossard’s 83 outings (all competitions) for Arsenal have totalled 4,193 minutes. As such, his 33 goal contributions (20 goals, 13 assists) have come at a rate of one every 127 minutes.

Mail Plus noted Trossard was the subject of interest from the Saudi Pro League last summer. But in an indication of just how highly he’s regarded in north London, it’s noted Arsenal ‘point blank refused to let him leave given his importance.’

That importance to Arteta and co will now be rewarded with a new contract and pay rise – assuming Trossard agrees to the terms put forward, of course.

Latest Arsenal news – Sterling, Baena, Isak

In other news, former Premier League striker, Stan Collymore, has taken aim at Raheem Sterling and his dire stint at Arsenal so far.

“Raheem Sterling has been a massive disappointment,” Collymore told The Metro. “He came in and said he was going to give the club his best work, but that hasn’t happened.

“He’s arguably stunk the place out so far and he’s definitely one of the flops of the season having promised to do his best work at Arsenal. He’s an experienced player who has won everything there is to win, he was expected to push the dressing room up another level and he hasn’t done that.”

HAVE YOU SEEN: Ranking every player that Arsenal have signed directly from Chelsea after Raheem Sterling deal

Elsewhere, Arsenal have taken the first steps towards signing assist king, Alex Baena. The Gunners scouted the Villarreal attacker during Spain’s clash with Denmark last Friday in which Baena featured alongside Mikel Merino.

Baena led LaLiga with 14 assists last year and his deal at Villarreal contains a €60m release clause.

Finally, TEAMtalk can confirm Arsenal’s No 1 striker target for 2025 and beyond remains Alexander Isak of Newcastle.

The Swede is Arsenal’s ‘dream’ target and ticks every box they’re looking for in a frontman. We understand Isak could look favourably on leaving The Magpies for a club who regularly compete in the Champions League, though a transfer is likely to cost £100m at least.