Do Not Sell My Personal Information
According to reports, Arsenal have initiated official talks with William Saliba over an extension of his current contract.
THE LOWDOWN: QUICK RISE UNDER ARTETA
Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 as a highly-rated teenager but never got the chance to feature for the side. Loans to French Ligue 1 clubs Saint-Etienne, OGC Nice and Olympique de Marseille followed soon after which helped the defender grow and gain valuable game time. His performances in those loan spells also caught the eye of the France national team and he got his first call-up to the squad.
He is now part and parcel of the national team, but like every other player, will only be considered for competitions depending on the vision of the manager.
Now back with Arsenal following strong performances in France and on international duty, the Saint-Etienne youth product has brought a different dimension to the Gunners’ defence, playing alongside Gabriel Magalhaes.
And just like Arsenal did with the Brazilian not long ago, they are in the final stages of tying Saliba down to a new long-term contract at the Emirates.
THE LATEST: FORMAL CONTRACT OFFERED
Signed for £23 million, his current deal expires in 2023 with the option of an extra year. As per The Athletic, Arsenal are now looking to activate that option but to also extend it beyond one year. The negotiations are ongoing and there is not much info to share on the length of contract the Premier League side are willing to offer the Frenchman.
The defender is already attracting interest from all across Europe with his strong performances, which is why the club have made the move to formally negotiate new terms. French giants Paris Saint-Germain and German Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are said to be keeping a keen eye on the defender.
THE VERDICT: MORE THAN DESERVED
Saliba has proven to be a revelation in the Arsenal backline and is more than deserving of a spot in theArsenal lineup. Still only 21 as well, he has his better years ahead of him and Mikel Arteta has a gem onhis hands already.
Arsenal know too well about the quality and potential of the Frenchman and anything other than an improved new contract will be the wrong call. He can be the Gunners’ star defender for years to come and fully deserves a new contract.
The youngster has already confirmed talks as well and we can only hope that everything goes amicably between all parties involved.
