French footballer William Saliba has agreed to a new four-year contract at Arsenal, a development which serves as a significant boost for the North London club.
The final details of the deal are still being worked out but the club is now confident of the 22-year-old center-half putting pen to paper in the next few weeks.
Saliba’s representatives have been in talks with Arsenal’s executives for months, with his current deal set to expire next summer. The center-back would have become a free agent at the end of the upcoming season, making his new deal one of the main priorities for Arsenal.
Talks have progressed well in recent days, with fresh terms now verbally agreed with the France international.
22-year-old Saliba will be given a pay rise to reflect his status as a key member of Arteta’s team and as one of Europe’s most impressive young defenders.
It is understood that the contract which will run until 2027 with the possibility of an option for a further 12 months, will be worth around £200,000-per-week. The new contract is considerably more than Arsenal was hoping to pay Saliba, whose current salary is only £40,000-a-week.
Saliba first signed for the Gunners for a fee of around £27m in 2019 and after a year back on loan with former club Saint-Etienne was then handed the number four shirt – but did not make his first-team debut until August 2022.
The 22-year-old spent 18 months back in France across two further loan spells at Nice and Marseille before finally making his Arsenal bow against Crystal Palace last year and instantly becoming a key member of Mikel Arteta’s squad.
The defender helped Arsenal garner their highest points tally since 2004 (84) this season, scoring twice in 27 Premier League appearances for the club.
Saliba is currently recovering from the back injury which ruled him out of Arsenal’s final 11 games of the season and has not been included in the French squad for their forthcoming Euro qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece.