Rice could follow Saka with new deal closing in on £300k-a-week

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Declan Rice could be the next Arsenal player handed a significant new contract, with reports suggesting his future terms could edge closer to the salary recently agreed by Bukayo Saka.

The move would come amid a wider push from Arsenal to tie down the core of Mikel Arteta's squad. The club has already secured Arteta on a new deal running until the summer of 2030, giving the manager long-term control over the project he has built since taking charge.

Arsenal's retention plan

Arsenal have made clear progress under Arteta and continue to scan the market for fresh additions, but there is equal emphasis on keeping hold of players who have already proven their worth. Saka's new contract, reportedly worth more than £300,000 per week, was an early marker of that intent.

Rice is now said to be next in line for similar treatment. According to Football Insider, the midfielder is in line for a new deal that could push his earnings closer to Saka's reported figure, a significant jump that would reflect his standing within the squad.

Justifying the price tag

Rice arrived at Arsenal from West Ham as the most expensive signing in the club's history, a transfer that came with considerable expectations attached. Since then, he has become one of the first names on Arteta's team sheet, anchoring the midfield and playing a central role in Arsenal's efforts to close the gap at the top of the Premier League.

A new contract would be a clear statement from the club that his performances have matched the scale of that initial outlay. It would also fit a pattern Arsenal appear to be following this season: secure the manager long-term, reward the standout performers, and build a settled core capable of pushing for major honours.

With Arteta committed until 2030 and Saka already locked into a new long-term deal, an improved contract for Rice would mark another step in that planning, reinforcing the idea that Arsenal's current group is being built to stay together rather than be broken up.

Nothing has been finalised yet, but if talks progress as reported, Rice's new terms would represent one of the most notable contract stories of the season at the Emirates.