William Saliba: Arsenal defender signs new four-year contract with Premier League club
William Saliba has signed a new four-year contract at Arsenal.
The France defender, who was signed by the Gunners from French club Saint-Etienne in 2019 for £27m, has become one of Arsenal’s most important players under manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal have now tied down the 22-year-old until 2027 having already secured new deals for Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Aaron Ramsdale in a big boost to their project.
Runners-up to treble winners Manchester City in the Premier League last season, Arsenal have invested heavily in their squad already this summer as they look to bridge the gap.
Kai Havertz is already through the door after a £65m transfer from Chelsea, with Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber also expected to be joining him shortly for a combined total of £143.5m.
More to follow….
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Analysis: Arsenal’s signing of the summer?
Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:
Arsenal’s spending is set to pass £200m with the additions Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber but tying William Saliba to a new deal might represent their best piece of business yet.
The 22-year-old had to wait for his chance after signing for the club in 2019, beginning on a series of loan spells back in France, but his impact last season was transformative, to such an extent that when injured struck in April, the team fell apart.
His importance is not lost on his team-mates, with Gabriel Jesus this week pinpointing the loss of Saliba as the pivotal moment in Arsenal’s title challenge. “When he plays, we concede few goals, when he doesn’t play, the number increases,” said the Brazilian.
Arsenal’s Premier League record compared last season
“When I got injured, Eddie [Nketiah] replaced me very well. Then we signed Leo[Trossard)WekeptthepaceButwhenSalibagotinjureditwascomplicatedTheotherdefendersaregoodbutwewereplayinginacertainwayLookatthestatsweconcedealotlesswithhim”[Trossard)WekeptthepaceButwhenSalibagotinjureditwascomplicatedTheotherdefendersaregoodbutwewereplayinginacertainwayLookatthestatsweconcedealotlesswithhim”[Trossard)WekeptthepaceButwhenSalibagotinjureditwascomplicatedTheotherdefendersaregoodbutwewereplayinginacertainwayLookatthestatsweconcedealotlesswithhim”
Saliba had established himself as one of the best young centre-backs in Europe by the time of his injury and Arsenal felt his absence in an offensive sense more as defensively, their passing game disrupted and their collective performance levels dipping.
His new contract is no guarantee against injury, of course. But it does ensure the future of this game-changing young centre-back lies with them, instead of elsewhere, and that is a tantalizing prospect given his peak years are still to come.
