Arsenal planning contract talks with star player after agreeing terms with William Saliba - Reports

Arsenal will reportedly open contract talks with captain Martin Odegaard following the renewal of William Saliba's deal.

That's according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who recently posted a tweet saying that the Gunners' focus is to tie their key players to long-term deals.

Arsenal new contracts plan continue as Martin Ødegaard’s next one on the list — negotiations will take place soon. ⚪️🔴 #AFC

Martinelli, Saka, Ramsdale and now Will Saliba until June 2027 are key part of the project.

Reiss Nelson extension, also close. https://t.co/9XUjDzVCV1

Under sporting director Edu Gaspar, Arsenal have prioritized tying their core group of players to long-term deals whilst they explore solutions in the transfer market.

Earlier in the day, The Athletic's David Ornstein reported that the Gunners have extended defender William Saliba's deal till the 2027 season, with the possibility of a further extenstion. The Frenchman was subject of interest from top clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, so his decision to stay is a massive boost for Arsenal.

Now, as per Romano, the club are ready to turn their attention to extending Martin Odegaard's contract. He says that the club and the player's camp will enter negotiations soon, with things expected to progress smoothly, as both parties share the same vision.

Romano added that Arsenal will also look to renew Reiss Nelson's deal after the winger impressed during the 2022-23 season.

Bayern Munich in touch with Declan Rice, but Arsenal lead race

Following West Ham United's triumph in the UEFA Europa Conference League, all the buzz around Declan Rice's potential exit has increased manifold.

The midfielder has long been linked with a move away, with clubs lining up to sign him, with West Ham chairman David Sullivan confirming that the club will not stand in the player's way.

News #Rice: Bayern is still in contact with his management as reported yesterday. But within the club they are more and more realistic as they get the feeling that a transfer is very difficult. Because of @Arsenal.

➡️ But: Bayern is still relying on the players signals when… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/yFhKxS7Y8i

As per Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich are still in contact with Rice, but the Gunners lead the race, as the player prefers remaining in the Premier League.

The Bavarian giants were confident after they had met Rice's representatives in London, but their confidence is waning, as the north Londoners remain in pole position for his services.

It will be interesting to see where Rice ends up before the transfer window slams shut ahead of the new season.