Arsenal ‘very confident’ £27m player will sign a new contract now

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CBS journalist Ben Jacobs claims Arsenal are very confident that William Saliba will sign a new contract now.

Arsenal suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton yesterday which all but ended their hopes of lifting the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta’s men have enjoyed an exceptional campaign and performed well above expectations. But their form began to drop off after William Saliba picked up an injury back in March.

The Frenchman was arguably one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers beforehand and his absence has only highlighted his importance to the team. 

Saliba made the switch to the Emirates Stadium for a fee worth £27 million back in 2019 as he put pen to paper on a five-year deal.

The 22-year-old has only established himself as a first-team player this season and his contract is set to run until next year.

Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka both look set to commit their long-term futures to the club, but there have been concerns over whether or not Saliba will follow suit. But Jacobs has told GiveMeSport that Arsenal are confident that Saliba will put pen to paper. 

Arsenal confident over Saliba deal

The journalist shared an update on Saliba’s contract situation and claimed the Gunners believe Saliba will extend his stay in north London.

“Even though I’ve said that one is more complicated, it’s only complicated compared to the rest,” Jacobs said. “If you look at the Saliba deal as its own entity, it’s another one that Arsenal are very confident they’ll get over the line.

“That will be a reflection of the fact that Arsenal have a core and a foundation to build on, win or lose the Premier League, to be that team that automatically almost ends up with a Champions League spot, which is what they’re looking for, and tries to continue to challenge with Manchester City.

“It’s easy to look at Arsenal’s season as one of doom and gloom because they’ve wobbled at the wrong time, and it might cost them the Premier League. But if they end second with Champions League football and get all these renewals done, from a foundational and project point of view, they’ll be delighted even though the league position may not be what they wanted.”

Arsenal will be desperate to tie Saliba down on a new contract after his performances this season.

During his debut campaign, the youngster has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League. You only have to look at Arsenal’s defensive record after his injury to understand his importance to Mikel Arteta’s side. 

Of course, the Gunners will be devastated that they have seemingly fallen short this season. But if they can keep the likes of Saliba alongside the rest of their talented youngsters, the future will be bright for Arteta’s men.