Mikel Arteta said that Arsenal is "doing everything we possibly can" to secure a new contract for William Saliba.
The 22-year-old has been in excellent form for the Gunners since his return from a loan stint at Marseille last summer, but after the 2022–23 season, his contract at the Emirates Stadium will only have one year left.
As the club looks to reward its top players, 90min earlier reported that Arsenal hoped to reach an agreement with Saliba and teammate Bukayo Saka on new contracts before the players left for vacation this summer.
Saliba has been out with a back injury for a couple of weeks, and during that time, Arsenal's hold on the Premier League title race has loosened. In fact, the Gunners recently went four games without a victory, during which time they lost 4-1 to title contenders Manchester City, before recovering to overcome London rivals Chelsea 3-1.
Saliba's ability to return this season is still up in the air, but Arteta acknowledged in his most recent pre-match press conference that although there isn't any new information to offer regarding contract negotiations, such discussions are still going on and securing Saliba's long-term commitment to the team is still a top goal.
"We want to keep the top talent we have. Particularly the players who merit some attention," the Spaniard remarked. "I believe he has been outstanding since returning from his loan stint, and we definitely want to reward him. We'll wait for the appropriate time to accomplish that.
"Edu and the board are obviously on top of every contract negotiation, and right now we are taking all precaution to complete that at the appropriate time.
"The relationship and communication are fantastic. I believe timing is important. not another."
The next opponent in Arsenal's quest to win the Premier League for the first time in 19 years is third-placed Newcastle, who are currently on a tear. Last season, Tottenham's spot in the top four was secured by Eddie Howe's team, which notably dashed Arteta's dreams of making the Champions League by defeating Arteta's team 2-0 at the season's finish at St. James' Park.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0