WILL’ HE STAY OR WILL’ HE DEPART?
WILLIAM SALIBA has held talks about a new contract after insisting he is “so happy” at Arsenal.
Gunners defender
Saliba (21) joined Arsenal in a €34.5m move from St Etienne in 2019 but spent his first three seasons out on loan.
The France international has just over 18 months on his current deal and has been in no rush to commit himself to fresh terms.
Europe’s top clubs are circling as the classy centre-half has been exceptional for Arsenal since coming back to the Emirates this season.
He has also broken into the full France team ahead of the World Cup. When asked about his contract, Saliba said: “Yeah, we will see. They talk a little bit. We will see.”
After moving to Arsenal, he was farmed him out on loan to Marseille, back to St Etienne and also to Nice.
But Saliba revealed Arteta was determined to make him part of his plans this season.
Confident
Saliba added: “He (Arteta) talked about my last season and he explained the project for this season.
“The more we win, the more we are confident. We want every week to win, to win, to win — and that’s it.
“Now we play against the best players in the world. It is good for young players like me and I learn a lot.”
Gunners keeper Aaron Ramsdale also praised Saliba and the way he has helped make the defence more solid.
Ramsdale said: “He has fitted in really well. It is a credit to him that he has been put straight into the team, he is a bit of a Rolls-Royce with the way he moves and he has never seemed fazed.
“He is still a young boy, so still makes mistakes. At the minute, it is either Ben (White), myself, Gabriel or Thomas Partey digging him out and he is digging other people out as well.
“That is the main thing at the minute, our mistakes aren’t leading to too many things and that is the sign of a team with good characters in and around that back five.”