William Saliba Confirms Arsenal Commitment as Arteta Reveals Honest Talks

William Saliba wants to stay at Arsenal, manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed. There was a lot of talk about the defender’s future. However, Saliba has made his intentions clear, stating that he hopes to sign a new contract soon, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.

WHAT ARTETA SAID TO SALIBA

Mikel Arteta has revealed his conversation with William Saliba. The Arsenal manager admitted he was straightforward with the French defender after transfer speculation. Arteta told Saliba he wanted to know his plans before the January transfer window opens. The manager quizzed Saliba about his intentions. The defender did not shy away and expressed his desire to remain at Arsenal and play for Arteta. This ended the uncertainty around his future, and Arsenal are set to announce Saliba’s new long-term contract soon, which is expected to keep him at the club until June 2030, as confirmed in a previous report by Fabrizio Romano.

SALIBA’S IMPORTANCE TO ARSENAL

William Saliba is an integral part of Arsenal’s defence. He has established himself as one of the best young centre-backs in Europe. Arteta claimed Saliba is the “cornerstone” of everything the club has done in the past few years. The defender has been impressive again this season, helping Arsenal maintain one of the best defensive records in the Premier League, where they currently sit second in the table, only two points behind leaders Liverpool. Saliba has played in every match this season, leading a defence that has conceded only six goals in six games.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ARSENAL AND SALIBA?

Arsenal are set to announce Saliba’s new contract in the coming days. The team’s next task is to beat Olympiacos for the Champions League, who are looking for their first points of the campaign. After that, they play West Ham as the match could be crucial in the title race as the Gunners look to stay close to the top of the table. Arteta will hope that Saliba’s decision to commit his future to the club will inspire the squad in their title charge as they aim to hold a strong position, currently sitting just behind in the Premier League standings.