Arsenal Activate Nacho Monreal Contract Clause to Extend His Stay Until Summer 2020

​Arsenal have reportedly activated a one year extension clause in the contract of Nacho Monreal which will keep him at the Emirates Stadium until the end of the 2019/20 season.

Monreal's contract expires at the end of this season, meaning that he is now free to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club, but Arsenal have the option to extend his contract for another twelve months.

Although there has not yet been any official confirmation from the club, sources have told ​ESPN that the one year extension has been taken up while they work on tying Monreal to a longer-term deal.

ESPN claims that ​Arsenal have told them Monreal is under contract until June 2020, effectively confirming that the contract extension has been or will be activated.

Monreal has played in less than half of Arsenal's Premier League matches under Unai Emery, with a hamstring injury keeping him sidelined for two months between October and December.

Monreal is one of several first team players whose contract was set to expire at the end of the season, with veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech and injured striker Danny Welbeck also into their final six months.

The most high-profile case is Aaron Ramsey, who has been told that he will be allowed to leave at the end of the season and is close to reaching an agreement with Juventus.

Stephan Lichtsteiner, signed last summer from Juventus, reaches the end of his deal in June, but Arsenal have a one year extension option on his contract as well.