Arsenal star's agent drops cheeky Instagram hint on potential contract extension
Arsenal defender William Saliba's agent has dropped a cheeky Instagram post hinting that the Frenchman could be set for a contract extension.
Saliba, 22, has returned to the Gunners following a season-long loan with Ligue 1 side Marseille.
The former Saint-Etienne centre-back impressed during his time at the Stade Veledrome, winning the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award.
There had been some speculation that Saliba could leave the club with Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes having forged a formidable partnership at the back.
However, the young Frenchman appears to be in line for a contract renewal despite never having made a senior appearance for the north London side.
The player's agent Niang Djibril posted a cryptic message on his Instagram account which hinted that Saliba may be extending his stay at the Emirates Stadium.
Shown below is a screenshot of the story, which is a picture of what appears to be an office room at Arsenal Football Club.
#AFC | William Saliba's agent on Instagram. https://t.co/KvWW43TMv7
Saliba currently has two years left on his current deal with the Gunners. Since joining Arsenal in 2019, he has spent the majority of his time out on loan and is yet to make his debut for the club.
He impressed for Marseille last season making 51 appearances for the Ligue 1 side while also earning five caps for the French national team.
Saliba told French outlet Telefoot with regard to his future at the Emirates Stadium:
"I belong to Arsenal. I still have two years left. I will be back with Arsenal. I have played zero matches, and I still want to show them my true face and have the chance to play for these fans and this great club."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta explains William Saliba loan
Some fans and pundits had criticized Mikel Arteta's decision to send William Saliba out on loan last season.
However, Arteta has explained his reasoning for the decision, saying:
"He wouldn't have had the necessary playing time with us. He has the experience and the environment necessary to be competitive with us. If he [Saliba] had stayed with us this year, with a match of Premier League a week, with Ben White and Gabriel, he wouldn't have had half the playing time he had with Marseille, that's for sure."
Arteta continued to explain how Saliba has gained vital experience in Ligue 1 with Marseille, concluding:
"For his growth and what he can do next season that wouldn't have been good. William [Saliba] wasn't with us because he wouldn't have had the playing time to gain experience. That's it, there's nothing else."
Arsenal getting a grossly improved William Saliba this season is not spoken about enough. Love to see how he fits into Arteta's style of play. https://t.co/oYy8d1SVjt