Online Reporter
WILLIAM SALIBA has agreed to put pen to paper on a shock new deal at Arsenal.
The Frenchman, 24, had been the subject of transfer interest from Real Madrid.
There were fears Saliba might push for a move to the Spanish giants next summer, when the Gunners would be under pressure to sell with Saliba’s contract expiring in 2027.
However, the centre-back has handed manager Mikel Arteta a timely boost by agreeing to sign fresh terms.
SunSport understands an announcement is not imminent.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reports that the new deal is set to run to 2030.
It’s understood he’ll be paid similar to Bukayo Saka who is the club’s top paid player on around £300,000-a-week.
In March, Saliba insisted he was happy in north London.
Then in July he was directly asked about signing a new deal, to which he said: “Yes, hopefully − of course there is nothing now but there is a good conversation with my agent and the club.
“Let’s see.”
That “let’s see” now appears to have become a reality, in what will doubtless come as a huge boost to the club’s long-term plans.
Arsenal’s last piece of silverware came with the FA Cup in 2020, three seasons before Saliba broke into the first team at the Emirates following loan spells with Saint-Etienne and Marseille in his homeland.
However, Saliba has played a key role in Arsenal’s rise back towards the business end of the table and becoming a regular in the Champions League again.
Saliba has played in all but two games across all competitions this season for Arteta.
He missed the Nottingham Forest league game with the ankle injury he was forced off with against Liverpool inside five minutes the week prior.
Saliba was also benched for the Champions League win over Athletic Bilbao.
But he showed his class in the Carabao Cup round three win over Port Vale with an exquisite pass to find Leandro Trossard running in behind, with the Belgian duly converting to score the second goal in the 2-0 win.
Victory in that game has seen the Gunners draw Brighton at the Emirates for the fourth round.
Arsenal face a difficult trip to Newcastle for Sunday’s late kick-off in the Premier League.
The runner-ups of the last three seasons are currently five points behind league leaders and defending champions Liverpool, but will be aiming to keep pace with Arne Slot’s, thus far, perfect Reds − Sun.
