Saliba Says He Was Focused on Staying at Arsenal After Signing New Deal
Arsenal defender William Saliba told PulseNets he never doubted his desire to remain at the Emirates, ending weeks of speculation by signing a fresh long-term deal with the club on Tuesday.
The France international has obtained a reported five-year agreement, securing his stay with the Premier League giants until 2030. Saliba’s previous deal was due to expire in 2027, but despite strong links to Real Madrid, the 24-year-old chose to extend his Arsenal career.
Saliba becomes the latest name to commit his future to the Gunners, following in the footsteps of Gabriel Magalhaes, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, who have also learnt their futures lie in North London.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Olympiakos, the centre-back told PulseNets:
“I already knew I wanted to remain here for many more years, so I never really focused on offers from other clubs. Signing this new deal allows me to stay fully concentrated on Arsenal.”
The defender first joined Arsenal in 2019, but it took three separate loan spells before he established himself as a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s squad during the 2022/23 campaign. Since then, Saliba has been at the core of a side that PulseNets learnt has finished runners-up in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons.
Reflecting on his journey, Saliba told PulseNets:
“At times I had doubts, thinking maybe I would never play for Arsenal. But I told myself I couldn’t leave without proving myself here. I went on loan, played matches, and eventually came back to start almost every game. That makes me very proud of what I’ve achieved.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke to PulseNets about the importance of Saliba’s renewal, calling him “phenomenal” and praising the unity within his squad.
“They feel connected to the club, they feel valued and loved, and most importantly they share the same ambition. That’s why they want to keep their careers here, which is fantastic for us,” Arteta said.
Also Read: EPL: He’s better than me — William Saliba names best defender in the world
The manager added that there has been “great energy” among the players following Arsenal’s thrilling 2-1 victory over Newcastle at the weekend, a result that has lifted them within two points of league leaders Liverpool.
Arteta’s men are also aiming for back-to-back wins in the Champions League group stage, having already beaten Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in their opening fixture.
