Arsenal defender William Saliba has ended speculation over his future by agreeing to sign a new five-year contract with the club, according to reports from The Athletic.
The French centre-back had been linked with a blockbuster move to Real Madrid, who are in the market for defensive reinforcements and reportedly view Saliba as the “Jude Bellingham of defenders.” With his previous contract entering its final 18 months, there was hope at the Santiago Bernabéu that a deal could be struck.
However, Saliba has now committed his long-term future to the Gunners, with his new deal set to run until 2030.
The extension, expected to be finalised in the coming days, represents a major boost for manager Mikel Arteta, who has repeatedly underlined Saliba’s importance to his squad.
Talks over fresh terms began in May, and while speculation persisted, Arsenal have always been confident of securing an agreement. In July, Saliba himself expressed his willingness to stay, and the process is now nearing completion.
The 23-year-old’s journey at Arsenal has not been without challenges. Initially left out of the Premier League squad in the 2020/21 season, he spent 18 months on loan in France before returning to London.
Since then, he has justified the £27 million Arsenal invested in him back in 2019, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most reliable defenders.
Saliba has already made 139 appearances for the Gunners, with only five players recording more minutes under Arteta.
His consistency and composure at the back have made him indispensable to Arsenal’s ambitions domestically and in Europe.
The Frenchman becomes the fourth key player to extend his stay this year, following Gabriel Magalhães, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ethan Nwaneri.
