William Saliba extends his contract at the Emirates with the Gunners

William Saliba has signed a new, long-term contract with the team, making him the most prominent Arsenal player to do so

The French defender, who last season helped the Gunners narrowly lose their bid for the Premier League championship, has now agreed to new terms at the Emirates Stadium. Saliba, 22, was a regular in the league up until mid-March, when he suffered a back injury during the Europa League loss to Sporting, which forced him to miss the rest of the season.

Mikel Arteta’s team saw their lead at the top of the league reduced without him as Manchester City eventually defeated Arsenal to reclaim the championship. But now, according to the PA new agency, a deal has been agreed that binds Saliba to the team for a period of four years.

Despite coming from St Etienne in 2019 for a reputed £27million, Saliba, who will wear the number two shirt next season, did not make his competitive Arsenal debut until the beginning of last season. Instead, the center-back was returned on loan to his old team after spending time at Nice and Marseille, where he won the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award following a strong season in 2021–2022.

Some of the top clubs in Europe expressed interest in Saliba as a result of his performances for Arsenal, and Arteta was pleased to see Saliba extend his time in north London. With Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and Aaron Ramsdale having already done so earlier this year and Saliba’s center-back partner Gabriel Magalhaes having signed on in October, the defender is the most recent of Arteta’s key players to do so.

Reiss Nelson also signed a new contract on Thursday as Arteta looks to keep the core of the team that came close to ending a 19-year Premier League title drought. Granit Xhaka, a midfielder who was instrumental for Arteta last season but has since moved Bayer Leverkusen for £21.4 million, will not be a part of the team going forward. Declan Rice, on the other hand, is scheduled to have a physical with the West Ham captain and, if his £105 million transfer across the capital is approved, will become the most expensive British player in Premier League history.

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