Arteta gets major boost as Saliba pledges future to Arsenal project

Arsenal have secured a major boost for their long-term project after William Saliba agreed a new five-year deal with the club.

The 24-year-old centre-back will put pen to paper in the coming days, ensuring his stay at the Emirates Stadium until 2030.

Saliba’s previous contract was due to expire in June 2027 and the club moved swiftly to avoid uncertainty around his future.

Real Madrid had monitored the Frenchman’s situation, but he has always made clear his intention to remain in North London and pursue silverware with Arsenal.

In March, the defender said he was happy at the club and wanted to win trophies in red and white. The Gunners’ last success came in 2020 with the FA Cup, but they have since mounted consistent title challenges and reached the Champions League semi-finals last season.

Saliba has been ever-present in that progress. He featured 51 times across all competitions in 2024-25, marshalling a back line that conceded fewer goals than any other team in the Premier League.

His calmness in possession, recovery pace and aerial dominance have made him one of the most reliable defenders in Europe.

His influence has been evident since his breakthrough. Arsenal’s faltering title push in 2022-23 coincided with his absence through injury, underlining how crucial he has become.

Over the past two league campaigns he has logged more minutes than any other Arsenal outfielder, further demonstrating Arteta’s reliance on him.

Saliba first arrived in 2019 from Saint-Etienne before loan spells at Nice and Marseille helped accelerate his development.

Since returning to North London, he has become the undisputed leader of Arsenal’s defence alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, who also signed fresh terms earlier this year.

The club’s new sporting director Andrea Berta has played a central role in concluding negotiations, continuing a series of key renewals that have also tied down Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arteta will see Saliba’s extension as equally significant as any summer signing. The Frenchman is still years away from his peak but already plays with authority and consistency at the highest level.

Keeping him out of the reach of Europe’s elite clubs provides Arsenal with stability at the heart of their defence and reaffirms the ambition of a squad determined to end their wait for a major trophy.

The post Arteta gets major boost as Saliba pledges future to Arsenal project first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.