William Saliba signs new contract extension at Arsenal

Arsenal have successfully agreed on a new, extended contract with vital central defender William Saliba. The Gunners announced the contract extension via their official website and social media handles. Saliba will now don the Arsenal jersey until 2030.

The 24-year-old defender has emerged as an important part of Mikel Arteta’s team. Saliba’s contract was due to run out in 2027, and it was only a matter of time before Arsenal would proceed with this new deal. The new deal ends speculation about the Frenchman’s future after he has been linked with a transfer to Real Madrid for the last few years. .

Mikel Arteta & Co. have come out on top in these discussions with the Frenchman, and will now reap the long-term benefits of having a strong presence like Saliba in the heart of their defence. Following his arrival in 2019, the defender has grown in stature and established himself as one of the best central defenders in the world.

Interest from Real Madrid

According to a report published by Goal.com, Los Blancos were massively attracted to the prospect of bringing William Saliba to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Real Madrid were also considerably happy knowing that his contract was set to expire in 2027. In recent years, the recruitment strategy in the Spanish capital has revolved around signing free agents (Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe, Trent Alexander-Arnold) from other clubs. However, the freshly announced contract extension will push Real Madrid to reevaluate its transfer strategy in order to get Saliba’s signature in the future.

What did Saliba say following his new deal?

Saliba has put in the hard yards since arriving in North London, including loan spells in the French Ligue 1 with Nice and Marseille. In recent years, the defender has grown in prominence and has consistently been a top performer for Arsenal. The player expressed his happiness following his new deal at the Emirates Stadium and highlighted the journey he had put in since first arriving in North London, saying:

“I feel proud of myself because I first signed in 2019, and now in 2025, I’m still here to extend my contract. I’m so happy. I feel at home. We have a good team, we have a good squad, we have good staff. The coach is perfect for me, so it’s the best place to be. I enjoy every day when I have the chance to wear this shirt. I try to give everything, and now I’ll give even more to this club and to the fans.”

Also Read – Arsenal preparing massive transfer swap with Juventus

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The Frenchman further heaped praises on his gaffer, Mikel Arteta, and gave a shoutout to him for helping him tremendously in growing as a player. Saliba spoke the following about Arteta –

“The boss is one of the best coaches in the world. He has helped me a lot, him and his staff, so I’m so happy to have them as a coach. I’m 24 now, and I think I haven’t reached my peak. I have a lot of things to improve, a lot of things to give to this team, and I know that the coach and the staff will help me to become the best, or one of the best, defenders in the world and win trophies.”

The Gunners have been inches away from lifting the Premier League crown in recent years, but have not gotten themselves across the line and finished runners-up. Arteta would be at ease now, fully aware that an important member of his team is now tied down with a long-term agreement. If Arsenal are to lift the league title, Saliba would certainly play an instrumental part. The Gunners are now preparing to host Olympiacos at home in the UEFA Champions League on Matchday 2.