Arsenal star agrees 4-year contract to extend stay at Emirates - Reports
Premier League giants Arsenal have reached an agreement with defender William Saliba over a new four-year contract, according to The Athletic.
Saliba, 22, was pivotal to the Gunners' title push in the recently concluded Premier League season. Such was the defender's influence that the team failed to win six of their last 11 league games after he picked up a back injury.
However, there have been concerns about the France international's long-term future at Arsenal, with his current deal running out next year. His contract situation reportedly put Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain on alert.
The Gunners, though, have succeeded in their efforts to convince Saliba to put pen to paper on a new contract. According to the aforementioned source, the central defender has agreed to commit his future to the club till 2027. The contract extension will be made official after the paperwork is done.
As per the said report, there was strong interest in Saliba from clubs in the Premier League and abroad. However, the north London giants were determined to retain his services from the start.
It was reported that the former Saint-Etienne defender was demanding a significant pay rise from his employers. The details of the reported new contract, though, are yet to be known. The youngster has, nevertheless, joined Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Magalhaes in committing his future to Mikel Arteta's side.
Saliba joined Arsenal from French club Saint-Etienne for £30 million in 2019. He did not make his debut for the Premier League giants till last August, as he spent the previous three years on loan in France.
The defender has made 33 senior appearances across competitions for the Gunners, bagging three goals and one assist.
How did William Saliba fare in his last game for Arsenal?
William Saliba made his last appearance for Arsenal in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 with Sporting. However, he was forced off the pitch with an injury just 21 minutes into the game. The Gunners lost the tie 5-4 on penalties after the game ended 3-3 after two legs.
The Frenchman's last Premier League appearance came in Arsenal's 3-0 win against Fulham in March. He was one of the best players on the pitch, earning a 7.8 rating on Sofascore. The defender made seven clearances, which was the most by any player, four tackles, two blocks and one interception.
Saliba also won five of the nine duels he competed and gave away only one foul. No player across both teams had more touches than the youngster (90). Furthermore, the former Saint-Etienne man completed 64 passes with 90% accuracy.