Arsenal boss Arteta 'spotted' dining with player at restaurant amid contract speculation

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and star forward Bukayo Saka were pictured in a London restaurant on Monday as speculation over a new contract for the 21-year-old continues.

Arteta and Saka were spotted following the London Football Awards, in which both were victorious in their respective categories.

The Spanish boss won the Manager of the Year award, with Saka receiving the Young Player of the Year accolade.

This season, the 21-year-old has scored 10 goals and nine assists in the Premier League, having scored 11 and assisted seven during the previous campaign.

Recent talk has been about a new contract for Saka, with his current deal due to expire in the summer of 2024.

The Athletic reported in October that extensions for Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli were going to be carefully approached with the club's wage structure in mind.

The same source claimed last month that an agreement in principle has been reached between Arsenal and Saka for a new contract, with Martinelli having already committed to fresh terms.

Now, Arteta and Saka have been seen dining together.

Arteta and Saka spotted in London restaurant

According to the Daily Mail, Arteta and Saka were at the Novikov restaurant in Mayfair, which serves Asian and Italian cuisine.

But Gunners supporters will surely be more concerned about the topic of conversation at the restaurant, with the 21-year-old's contract potentially involved in the discussion.

The Athletic have also claimed that the deal is not yet signed to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium, despite the agreement between both parties. Furthermore, it is added that it may be some time before an official announcement is made.

Saka will enter the final 12 months of his current deal this summer, but the fact the new contract is in place will allay fears of the winger moving on to pastures new in the near future.

For now, the player's full focus will be on the second leg of Arsenal's Europa League last 16 tie against Sporting Lisbon, which takes place on Thursday. The score is 2-2 from the first leg in Portugal.