Arsenal are closing in on a new contract for William Saliba, with the defender set to be offered a long-term deal to prolong his stay at the Emirates.

According to Football Transfers, Arsenal are inching closer to extending William Saliba’s contract. The French defender’s current terms expire in 2027, with talks over a new deal already underway, with the centre-back now in line for a long-term contract to prolong his stay at the Emirates and deal a crushing blow to suitors like Real Madrid.

The summer window has been transformative of sorts from an Arsenal perspective. The Gunners have finalised moves for five new players, and a sixth might be on the way in the form of Viktor Gyokeres. As Mikel Arteta stated, the window has a long time to go, meaning there might be another addition or two left this summer.

The underrated side of Arsenal’s summer has been their business of retaining existing players. The Gunnes have tied down exciting teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, although the latter’s contract is yet to be announced. The most important contract renewal was that of key defender Gabriel Magalhaes, with the report stating that part of the Brazilian’s decision was after understanding the progress made with William Saliba.

Real Madrid had courted Saliba and Lewis-Skelly a while ago. While the latter has signed his deal, the former is yet to commit to fresh terms at Arsenal. There were suggestions that Saliba might be convinced by signings like Viktor Gyokeres, but in reality, that may not be necessary, as the club values him very highly and considers him a key part of their long-term planning.

Arsenal had been a bit concerned by the Real Madrid links, but talks have been ongoing over a new deal for Saliba. It appears the defender is closing in on a new agreement with the club, as Arsenal are prepared to offer him a bumper four-year contract and a massive pay package to showcase his importance in the team.

Arsenal must tie down William Saliba

The report also highlights the problems in the relationship between former director Edu Gaspar and Saliba’s agent Djibril Diang, which led to the agent offering the 24-year-old Arsenal mainstay to Real Madrid. While there are no credible sources to verify those claims, the Gunners must leave no stone unturned in their efforts to keep hold of Saliba.

Since he became a key part of the backline under Arteta, Arsenal have been the best defence in the Premier League in two of the last three seasons. Keeping him would be a big signal of intent for the project at the club, as the club are currently in a strong position to retain the services of the 24-year-old, who will reportedly sign a deal until 2029.