“He’s Arsenal’s future” – Edu holds talk over extension of dominant £40k-per-week Arsenal’s star contract.
Arsenal are reportedly in talks regarding a new deal for defender William Saliba, following the youngster’s sparkling form in the early weeks of the season.
That’s according to journalist Dean Jones speaking to GIVEMESPORT, who said that a contract extension could be in the works for the Frenchman:
“There have been some initial discussions about a longer deal. I don’t think the terms of that deal have been detailed just yet, but it is certainly one on the horizon.”
This follows a recent report from 90min that suggested that the Gunners are looking to tie the 21-year-old down to a new deal, alongside Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, with the trio all out of contract in 2024.
The former St Etienne man who was signed by the north Londoners on a £27m deal back in 2019 has only recently broken into Mikel Arteta’s side after spending the last three seasons on loan in his native France.
This talk of a bumper new deal for the £40k-per-week-man comes following yet another imperious display in the recent win over Brentford, with the Emirates outfit putting last season’s scarring display against the Bees firmly behind them with a convincing 3-0 triumph.
That result saw the £36m ace get on the scoresheet for the second time in just the opening seven league games of the new season, having been lauded for his all-round “dominant” performance by journalist Connor Humm.
The towering defender’s 7.9 match rating, as per SofaScore, was the highest of any player for either side on the day, with opposition manager Thomas Frank having been particularly vocal about the youngster’s quality, tipping him to be a regular fixture in France’s starting lineup sooner rather than later.
Indeed, it is clear that he is not just the future of his club, but his nation too after some rather mesmerising displays.
The 6 foot 4 “monster” as dubbed by Evan Cooper has already picked up five caps for Les Bleus despite the wealth of competition at manager Didier Deschamps’ disposal, having also earned another call-up for this week’s international break.
Such a rise is a marker of the central defender’s obvious talent, with Arteta currently reaping the benefits of having reintroduced the highly-rated starlet this season, after three years out in the cold.
Saliba hadn’t made his Arsenal debut until the current campaign after being shipped off to Ligue 1 to help further his development in recent times, notably being awarded the division’s Young Player of the Year award while on loan at Marseille last term.
His form at the Stade Velodrome as well as for the north Londoners so far this term has seen him compare favourably to those in his position across Europe’s big five leagues, as he notably ranks in the top 3% for pass completion, the top 4% for dribbles completed and the top 6% for progressive carries, showcasing his rare composure in possession.
That quality will undoubtedly have piqued the interest of potential suitors such as Barcelona and Real Madrid although Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar can quash any speculation by offering deserved, improved terms
It’s vital they secure the talents of a player who could well form the backbone of Arsenal’s defence.
