As per Arsenal Fanatic News on X, French centre-back William Saliba is the next player close to agreeing to a contract extension with Arsenal, and an official announcement could be near.
The 23-year-old was attracting a lot of interest from La Liga giants Real Madrid. They wanted to upgrade their defensive options with Saliba emerging as the best contender.
The Gooners couldn’t afford losing a megastar player, and hence, their contract talks were pushed in order to thwart the Los Blancos off his trail.
William Saliba deserves new Arsenal contract
The former St. Etienne star became one of the best defenders in the world in the past two seasons under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta.
Although he had been working with the North London outfit since July 2019, it was only in 2022/23 that he started to find his footing. Loans to three French clubs between these years helped him mature as a player and understand the game better.
William Saliba was one of my favorite players of 2024 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/2n5h4MsD65
— Le African Gooner (@leafricangooner) December 31, 2024
He is a mammoth presence at the back, making 108 appearances for Arsenal and also scoring seven goals. Saliba is also a regular player for France, making 26 appearances for the national side in the last two years.
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His progress hasn’t gone unnoticed, and clubs are aware of the long-term benefits of possessing the star player in their line-up. Madrid established contact with his agents and hoped for a positive reply from the player.
However, Saliba revealed that he loves life at the Emirates Stadium and wants to fight for titles. This was a major boost for the Gunners since they didn’t want to lose their key asset for a cut-price fee in 2025.
He will enter the final two years of his contract in the next summer transfer window. The club is now very close to extending his stay, and he might even be the player to put pen to paper very soon.
🚨 Wilo Saliba is the next Arsenal first team player to be nearing an agreement to extend his contract with Arsenal. #ArsenalFanaticsNews pic.twitter.com/gXRfu5B3Yp
— #COYG #ArsenalFanaticsNews (@Arsenal23Wenger) December 30, 2024
Tying Saliba to a new contract will be equivalent to a fresh signing. Arteta needs to hold his group if he wants to taste success for years to come. There will never be a shortage of suitors, but convincing your best players to believe in your project defines a club’s commitment towards their future goals.
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Arsenal fans will be waiting anxiously for an official announcement since the January transfer window is just around the corner.
