William Saliba: Arsenal defender signs new four-year contract with Premier League club | Transfer Centre News

William Saliba has signed a brand new four-year contract at Arsenal.

The France defender, who was signed by the Gunners from French membership Saint-Etienne in 2019 for £27m, has turn out to be one among Arsenal’s most essential gamers underneath supervisor Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal have now tied down the 22-year-old till 2027 having already secured new offers for Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Aaron Ramsdale in a giant increase to their venture.

Runners-up to treble winners Manchester Metropolis within the Premier League final season, Arsenal have invested closely of their squad already this summer season as they appear to bridge the hole.

Kai Havertz is already by means of the door after a £65m switch from Chelsea, with Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber additionally anticipated to be becoming a member of him shortly for a mixed complete of £143.5m.

Arsenal have additionally introduced Saliba, who solely had one yr remaining on his earlier contract, has modified his shirt quantity from 12 to 2 for the brand new marketing campaign.

“To have William lengthen his contract with us was one thing now we have needed to do for a very long time,” mentioned Arteta. “William proved final season simply how good and the way essential he’s to our squad.

“The flexibility he has at his younger age of simply 22 is thrilling, and there’s after all a lot extra room for improvement with any participant at this stage of their profession. We’re wanting ahead to persevering with to work with William within the years to return.”

Edu, Arsenal’s sporting director, added: “We’re so glad to have signed a brand new cope with William Saliba.

“William is a part of our imaginative and prescient to maintain our proficient younger gamers, who will hopefully achieve success with us for a few years to return, in order that we are able to develop and progress collectively.

“I do know the supporters can be simply as glad as we’re to see William proceed with us sooner or later.”

Evaluation: Arsenal’s signing of the summer season?

Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright:

Arsenal’s spending is about to move £200m with the additions Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber however tying William Saliba to a brand new deal would possibly symbolize their greatest piece of enterprise but.

The 22-year-old needed to look ahead to his probability after signing for the membership in 2019, embarking on a collection of mortgage spells again in France, however his influence final season was transformative, to such an extent that when harm struck in April, the crew fell aside.

His significance isn’t misplaced on his team-mates, with Gabriel Jesus this week pinpointing the lack of Saliba because the pivotal second in Arsenal’s title problem. “When he performs, we concede few objectives, when he does not play, the quantity will increase,” mentioned the Brazil ahead.

“After I obtained injured, Eddie (Nketiah) changed me very effectively. Then we signed Leo (Trossard). We stored the tempo. However when Saliba obtained injured, it was sophisticated. The opposite defenders are good, however we have been taking part in in a sure approach. Have a look at the stats, we concede rather a lot much less with him.”

Saliba had established himself as among the finest younger centre-backs in Europe by the point of his harm and Arsenal felt his absence in an offensive sense as well as defensively, their passing sport disrupted and their collective efficiency ranges dipping.

His new contract isn’t any assure towards harm, after all. Nevertheless it does guarantee the way forward for this game-changing younger centre-back lies with them, as a substitute of elsewhere, and that may be a tantalising prospect given his peak years are nonetheless to return.