The Gunners have offered the French right-back a deal worth more than €95,000-per-week and are hopeful that it will be enough to keep him at the Emirates Stadium
EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent
Arsenal have made Bacary Sagna a take-it-or-leave-it offer in a new attempt to keep him at the club.
Goal understands that the Gunners upped their package to more than €95,000-per-week during fresh talks earlier in April.
It was an improvement on the €90,000-a-week deal already on the table, with both offers spread over two years with the option of a third year, and the Gunners hierarchy are hopeful that it will be enough for Sagna to snub other offers and commit to extending beyond this season, when his current deal expires.
The right-back, who is believed to be settled with his family in London, has attracted strong interest from Liverpool, Manchester City, Monaco and Inter but is believed to be most attracted by the possibility of a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal are now waiting on a decision from one of their longest-serving players, with an end to the saga expected to be imminent.
Arsene Wenger has been heavily involved in his fellow Frenchman’s contract talks despite the uncertainty over his own future beyond this season.
On Friday, he told reporters of Sagna: “We know what we want from him, he knows what is on the table and that’s where we are. The ball is not in our camp any more. It is in his camp and he needs to come back to us.”
The defender, who turned 31 in February, could leave the Emirates Stadium on a free in the summer and is able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a new club.
Wenger has always been keen to hold on to Sagna, who has been a key figure for Arsenal this season and offers experience and versatility that would not be easy to replace. The Gunners have looked closely at replacement right-backs in the last year, with Frankfurt’s Sebastian Jung currently top of their target list should Sagna decide to leave.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers and City manager Manuel Pellegrini are also admirers of Sagna, who can operate in central defence as well as both full-back positions, and he is highly regarded in his native France.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are expected to shake off knocks and be fit for the Newcastle clash, although there is a doubt over Thomas Vermaelen.
The trio sat out training on Friday but Arteta and Oxlade-Chamberlain were in line to join full training over the weekend.
Abou Diaby made his comeback for Arsenal Under-21s earlier in April as he continues his long recovery from a torn cruciate ligament but the midfielder is not considered ready for a first-team return.