French professional footballer William Saliba has reached an agreement on a new four-year contract with Arsenal, providing a significant boost to the club.
While the final details of the deal are still being worked out, Arsenal is confident that the 22-year-old center-back will sign the contract in the coming weeks.
Saliba's representatives have been in discussions with Arsenal's management for several months as his current deal was set to expire next summer. Securing a new contract for Saliba became a top priority for the club to avoid losing him as a free agent after the upcoming season.
Recent talks have progressed positively, and fresh terms have been verbally agreed with the French international.
As one of Europe's most promising young defenders and a key member of Arsenal under manager Mikel Arteta, the 22-year-old Saliba will receive an improved salary in recognition of his contributions.
The new contract is expected to run until 2027, with the possibility of an option for a further 12 months. Saliba's weekly wages are set to increase significantly to around £200,000, a substantial raise from his current salary of £40,000 per week.
Saliba originally joined Arsenal in 2019 for a fee of approximately £27 million but spent a year back on loan at his former club Saint-Etienne. He made his first-team debut for Arsenal in August 2022 after returning from loan spells at Nice and Marseille.
Throughout the current season, Saliba played a pivotal role in helping Arsenal achieve their highest points tally since 2004, accumulating 84 points. He made 27 appearances in the Premier League, scoring two goals for the club.
Presently, Saliba is recovering from a back injury that kept him out of Arsenal's final 11 matches of the season. As a result, he has not been included in the French squad for their upcoming Euro qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece.
