Mikel Arteta has offered the latest update on contract extension talks for Arsenal defender William Saliba. The Frenchman's current deal expires in the summer of 2024 and the Gunners are hoping he can follow Gabriel Martinelli and now Aaron Ramsdale in having an extension confirmed with Bukayo Saka looking set to follow soon.
On Thursday evening it was confirmed that Ramsdale had signed a new contract until 2026, with the club having the option to extend this by a further 12 months, as football.london understands. Captain Martin Odegaard is another important figure that looks set for talks to extend his stay at Emirates Stadium, taking it up to four names that have or look likely to sign new terms.
However, regarding Saliba there is no significant update on any negotiations despite the 22-year-old missing the last two months with a back injury. His importance to the team and Arteta's play style was known but the full extent of his impact has greatly exposed by his absence during the run-in where Arsenal have conceded 16 goals from nine games.
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A return before the end of the current campaign has been ruled out with surgery a possibility over the summer break. The remainder of 2023 is crucial for Arsenal and Arteta regarding Saliba due to the fact he is entering the last 12 months of his deal, but the Gunners boss has hinted he is not concerned about the defender potentially leaving on a free transfer.
"We are trying," Arteta told football.london in a press conference on Friday. "We are having conversations and we are trying to maintain the talent we have at the club as I said before. But things take time. You have to agree it. There are different parties involved. I think everybody’s intention is the same and hopefully we’ll find the right solution."
Given the 2022/23 campaign was his first taste of consistent Premier League football, the likelihood of Saliba only improving is high. With that will likely come interest from elsewhere which further stresses the importance of tying down his future especially as he could agree a pre-contract deal to join a club outside of England in January if things are not resolved.
Some interest has already arrived with The Mirror reporting, via RMC Sport, that three clubs are keen on the player and are 'lining up' a swoop for the Frenchman. Real Madrid and AC Milan are two clubs who have been linked with a move for the player in the past.
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