BREAKING NEWS: Arsenal 'agree four-year extension with William Saliba'
Arsenal ‘agree four-year contract extension with William Saliba’ in a huge boost for Mikel Arteta… with the Frenchman’s current deal up in just 12 months
- William Saliba has not improved terms since joining as teenager back in 2019
- The Frenchman played a crucial role during Mikel Arteta’s side’s title challenge
- Jack Wilshere hopes ‘special’ Declan Rice joins Arsenal amid transfer interest
Arsenal have reached a contract extension agreement with William Saliba, as per reports.
The 22-year-old will put pen to paper over a new deal taking his stay at the Emirates Stadium up until at least 2027, according to the Athletic’s David Ornstein.
Saliba’s performances in the Premier League in the 2022-23 season earned rave reviews, with the Frenchman impressing in his first season in English football.
As such, Saliba had begun to catch the eye of a number of clubs, both in the Premier League and further afield.
With just a year remaining on his deal at the club, Mikel Arteta’s side faced the prospect of losing such a talented young star for nothing next summer, or selling him in order to make some money back.
William Saliba has reportedly agreed a new contract with Arsenal lasting until at least 2027
Mikel Arteta’s side had been keen to get the French defender signed onto a longer contract
The club have been in talks with Saliba’s representatives since before the World Cup, but no agreement had yet been reached.
His existing deal is believed to earn him around £40,000-a-week, although that figure is likely to increase dramatically given his improved status within Arteta’s squad.
Saliba has not signed improved terms since arriving as a teenager in the summer of 2019 for £27million.
As reported by Mail Sport earlier this month, Arteta is confident Saliba will put pen to paper on fresh terms, but only when the time is right.
Saliba had been an integral part of Arteta’s title challengers this season, having impressed individually and helped the side earn 11 Premier League clean sheets.
His absence with a back injury in the latter stages of the campaign coincided with the collapse of Arsenal’s title challenge.
Arsenal have recently tied down stars Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to new deals as they aim to build on their impressive season.
The Gunners had pressure put on them to snap up the 22-year-old’s services, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested in the Frenchman.
Talks began prior to the World Cup but a new contract is yet to be agreed with Saliba
Reports had suggested that the north London outfit were put off by the player’s wage demands – thought to be around £120,000-a-week.
Should the report prove true it would give Arteta’s side greater solidity at the back and lessen the need to recruit another centre back this window.
The club are reportedly pursuing a deal for Portugal and Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo.
Signing Cancelo would allow Arteta to move White back to centre back – his natural position – with the Bayern loanee and Takehiro Tomiyasu to fight over the right back spot.
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