William Saliba is on the verge of extending his contract with Arsenal
Arsenal close to agreeing new contract with defender William Saliba
Arsenal are reportedly nearing an agreement on a new contract for defender William Saliba, following weeks of negotiation with the player and his representatives.
Earlier in the month, Arsenal offered Saliba a fresh five-year contract in a bid to quash keen interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Los Blancos have been monitoring the French international for years, from his time at Saint-Étienne through to his standout performances with the North London club in the Premier League.
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The 24-year-old’s contract with the Gunners runs until 2027, and Madrid are reported to maintain a strong relationship with the French defender’s representatives.
Arsenal, under Arteta, is keen to secure Saliba’s future and offered him a new contract to stay at the Emirates until 2030 earlier this month to prevent all attempts by Madrid, who were waiting to sign him in 2026 – when he would have only 12 months left on his contract.
He will rank among the highest-paid players at the club, a testament to his value, while warding off interest from the Spanish giants.
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Although there were initial concerns about the 24-year-old’s future with just over a year left on his current contract, the club has remained confident in the defender’s commitment for some time.
New sporting director Andrea Berta has been instrumental in negotiations, and this extension follows renewals for Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Gabriel Magalhães earlier this year.
Now, journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Saliba is close to signing a new long-term contract after Arsenal improved their contract proposal, which was received by the player and his representatives in August.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso’s side will continue to monitor the situation, as the club rebuilds a formidable team capable of competing consistently in the long term.
Madrid views Saliba as an ideal successor or competitor to Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, who are nearing the end of their careers at the Bernabeu.
Arsenal, on the other hand, would not want to lose their man, considered one of the best center-backs in the world at the moment, especially to arguably the best club on the European scene.
Saliba is currently sidelined for several weeks with an ankle injury sustained at Anfield earlier this season, picked up just five minutes into a fiercely contested Premier League match against the league champions.
Saliba has featured in 137 matches for Arsenal, playing a pivotal role in their Premier League title challenges over the past three seasons.
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