This summer was going to be special for Mikel Arteta. It is a summer when he will complete deals that will take Arsenal to the next level. After seeing Arsenal fail to lift the 2022–23 season, many admitted they were good, but were just not good enough to outwit City in the league, and they had to take the necessary actions this summer to be able to take Man City’s crown next season.
Many were expecting blockbuster deals, and there’s every sign they will be delivered, but what if I told you, as things stand, that Arsenal has already made their most important signing of the window? Which signing, you ask?
Well, the Athletic’s David Ornstein says William Saliba has finally agreed to a new 4-year deal at the Emirates. For months, many have been sweating about the Frenchman’s future. His deal expires next year, and there were murmurs that if he weren’t going to commit his future to the club, Arsenal would have sold him to one of his many suitors.
The 22-year-old, after returning last summer, effortlessly established himself as the heart of Arsenal’s defence. He brought some calm, confidence, and bravery to Arsenal’s defence, which was the foundation of the 5-star performances Arsenal was putting up. With Saliba, Arsenal’s defence was rock solid. It must have given opponents a nightmare.
His importance was exemplified in the last few weeks of the season; after getting injured back in March against Sporting Lisbon, the Gunners struggled. They lost their stability and struggled to win as they conceded easily; in four games in April, they conceded about 13 goals. If Arsenal were to lose their star defender this summer, that would have been a step backward in Arteta’s project. Considering he is still maturing, he has yet to reach his peak.
Saliba is only getting better, and if he is already a force at the level he is, then keeping him was more important than going out there and paying £100 million for Rice.
Agreed?
Onwards and Upwards!
Sam P
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Hopefully he can reduce his errors and analyzes his performance against Ivan Toney. He helped us a lot in defending set-pieces and was a big threat in corner situations
Yeah he lost to Toney who was offside before he scored any CB will lose again such robbery,congratulations to var that day they won man of the match one had to be forced to retire because he was breaking every record after record such a lovely accomplishment.
I mean he struggled physically against Toney’s hold-up play
Why do you need to point out his error., When he had numerous great games, tell me the defender you think is better and i will tell you games he struggled, stop this even Diaz with his experiences i have seen him struggling in few games
GAI, the only defender who doesn’t get done by an attacker on occasion, is one sitting on the bench. Otherwise the scoreline would be 0-0 every matchday.
Gai, all great defenders has errors in then. But Saliba errors seldom leads to goal.
To get Saliba on board and, reportedly, for four seasons, is a massive result for the club.
Is it the most important signing?
I believe it is, but for reasons other than some may think.
Mikel Arteta has shown that he has the ideas and motivations needed to convince our top players that they will be successful at The Arsenal and we have tied down our future with contracts that run the to 2025/6 in nearly all cases.
Of course, it has been seen that we need more top players in certain areas and, with four trophies to go for, a bigger and better squad.
I’m certain that will happen this summer and, just as importantly, before we begin our pre season games.
I agree, Saliba’s extension will be the most important business we do this summer regardless of who we sign.
Not only that, getting the deal done early avoids all the speculation and disruption that would have come with it.
Until his injury, he was our most consistent performer, arguably the best CB in the EPL this season, and dare I say, the best young CB in all of Europe!
Although many others form dropped over the last 10 games or so, it was the total collapse of our defensive unit during Saliba’s absence that really highlights his importance.
ken, plus money talks and is a great motivator for Saliba to stay!
Saliba could have easily got more than his new 200k/week without any problems.
I thought Saliba lost against that not so sober VAR referee, whick cost Arsenal two important points in February. Don’t blame the booze on Bill!
I have to agree with Ken1945 who more or less wrote what I was planning to do.
From all the hullaballoo surrounding the will he, won’t he, to then to have the contract extension preview suggesting that he is on board with Arteta and recognises that the club as a whole are looking to improve and become real contenders, makes it fantastic news.
Whether he becomes the most important signing is in the balance as it will depend on whether MA and Edu are able to get their wish list in and to move on those who are now needing to look for new avenues to further their careers (formerly referred to simply as deadwood)
🎯
Imo this signing prevents us from going backwards, which means we can now work on going forwards – so yes, it’s extremely important.
Tying down our young important players(martineli, saka, and saliba) to a new long term deal is a job well done from the club. It shows our club mean business. It makes me trust the process more. No more panic from some of we fans. I’m excited we are going to the next level as a club. The club just need to try and balance the squad depth during this transfer window. And we will see a huge step forward. COYG.
The most important signing of the summee for Arsenal?
The sensationalism.
Goonster, By a great distance the single most IMPORTANT item of ACTUAL NEWS that has occurred on JA since our title chance finally vanished.
HUGELY IMPORTANT, and if you don’t see that truth, then more fool you.
I was astonished that JA inhouse writers did not IMMEDIATELY seize on this VITALLY IMPORTANT NEWS AND PUT IT ON JA BY LUNCH TIME YESTERDAY, WHEN IT WAS ALREADY ALL ACROSS SKY SPORTS
@Jon
You know that I have always rated and liked Saliba. But I find the over the top hype nauseating. People been hyper ventilating like if he did not sign the Arsenal world like we know it would crumble into the abyss.
You had Arsenal fans saying that he should be paid £200,000 or £300,000 a week if that’s what he is demanding etc. That he should be paid the same as Saka blah blah.”
And also to me if the rumours of saka making £300,000 a week are true then football continues degrade. I know that’s me being deluded and naive it’s ridiculous the amounts.
Anyways, back to the Saliba extension being the most important summer signing for us. Sorry, but you know I don’t do sensationalism. These sweeping subjective claims are pushed as some objective talk that we should all agree with. They are not a well argued / reasoned out consensus. I would prefer if people would say “In my opinion” before they make any definitive subjective statements.
Statements like “He is the greatest manager in the world. He is our only world class player. So and so extending their contract is the biggest signing of the season. When Saliba got injures is when we crumbled and started to concede goals. Messi is the best player of all time. C. Ronaldo is the best player of all time. Etc..”. These are types of definitive subjective statements being presented as settled objective FACTS.
So how did all of you determine that Saliba signing an extension is the biggest summer signing for us? What is this objective criteria / template that you have devised to bring you to such a conclusion? I am okay with people saying “In my opinion Saliba is the most important signings for us so far this summer”. It would still be sensationalistic but much more rational and has humility.
So what exactly has Saliba done in his footballing career yet for Arsenal or France that has got people so convinced that he is the most important signings this summer for us?
This type of substance free talk is irritating to me. Born more out of emotion other than serious deciphering of the overall picture. I do think that Saliba is a good player but you guys have gone too over the top. He has made very many rookie mistakes that were not punished, he has made some amazing defending too. But I do think people just seem to only concentrate on only the good but ignore the flaws unconsciously. “Confirmation Bias” it’s called..
This is the same tired things we have seem before enough times in recent times. Going back to 2016 where we heard the same catchphrase “We can lose both Sanchez and The Shirt selling genius. We can afford to lose Sanchez but retaining the merchandise selling Genius will be the defining moment in Arsenal history. If we let him go we are finished as a clun. Give him whatever he is asking for blah blah. How did that turn out?
Then came the Aubameyang sensationalism saga too. Oh, you can’t lose Auba, he is the most important signing. Give him whatever he wants. Keeping Auba will be the defining moment in our history. If Auba leaves it might be the end for Arsenal for the near future. Blah blah. What happened there?
Even some during the 2021/22 end of season when Arteta’s contract talk was the topic. Some individuals made similar statements. Arteta is the most important signing blah blah.
Now Saliba is the next in line. People are over hyping the kid.
Gotta calm down with the over the top sensationalistic talk. That’s all I am saying.
You said a lot without making many points, you knock Ronaldo and messi down as deminitive subjective statesments, you seem to not know what they have done and the records they have broken and in turn ask what saliba has done for arsenal, well in just his first season he was a key figure in a puzzle that kept us top of the league for 228days, he was so good that his injury caused others to drop in form, and for the rookie mistake tell me a defender that doesn’t make a mistake amoung those who you think are better
If we were forced to sell saliba, we’d have to buy to replace him – he’s miles better than anyone who could replace him from within, that much should be obvious.
To replace him would be expensive and, as always, very risky. We know saliba will do the business for us, so long as he can stay fit, so losing him now would very likely at us back – it’s possible we could sign a replacement who’s as good or better, but that’s not a chance I’d ever want to take when we don’t have to.
GOONSTER, a very good summation indeed . But about “in my opinion” , which I DO USE SOMETIMES, it surely goes without saying that all posts, unless posting facts , are always only fans personal opinions. Doesnt it?
Goonster Just to point out that I SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF. I cannot be held responsible for what OTHERS may say or may claim.
And what I said, PRECISELY, was that SALIBA verbally agreeing to sign was the most important bit of ACTUAL NEWS.
Nowhere did I claim that he is the most important signing we MIGHT make this summer.
TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT statements,ONE OF WHICH I did not say, I think you may agree!
You refer to “you guys ” but posted by replying to ME. Hence this post to advise you of what I said and of what I did not say!
Let’s hope Saliba’s back injury has healed.
What I did not realize until recently was that Arsenal are going to spend around $180m, just to stand still.
If we get Caicedo and Rice, next season they will play instead of Zhaka and Partey.
It seems that Partey’s extra mural peccadillo’s might force Arsenal to move him on.
So we still have NO good back-up should one of our DM’s get injured (certainly NOT Jorginho or Elneny!!!)
We still need back-ups for Saka and Odegaard, and a strong center half (Not Kiwor or White, or Tommy)
I keep reading about our interest in Gundogan and Cancelo
I hope we don’t spend Caicedo money on either of these two.
I hope I am not going to be disappointed at the start of the season because I have to watch Man City old boys instead of Arsenal at the Emirates!!
Or sincere rant
Certainly, Saliba signing a contract extension is a very important development. Saliba’s presence in the heart of defence brings a sense of calm and composure and confidence not seen earlier. One of the major contributing factors in Arsenal not winning the league was Saliba’s injury. With him agreeing an extension, I think the problem of Arsenal’s defence is solved atleast for another 2-3 years. He and Gabriel form a very solid partnership and a strong defence.