William Saliba is undoubtedly one of Arsenal’s most valuable assets and the club are keen to retain him for the long term. However, his current contract is set to expire in 2027, and despite that being some way off, there is growing concern about securing his future now.
The French international has emerged as one of the top defenders in world football over the past few seasons. His consistent and commanding performances at the Emirates have coincided with Arsenal’s rise in the Premier League, where they have secured second-place finishes and made notable strides under Mikel Arteta.
Saliba’s Progress Sparks Interest from Spain
Saliba’s rise has not gone unnoticed. Real Madrid are reported to be admirers of the centre-back and have shown interest in bringing him to the Santiago Bernabéu. While Saliba appears content at Arsenal for the moment, the possibility of a future move remains present, particularly given his contract status.
Although he still has two years remaining on his current deal, this period is widely viewed as the optimal time for clubs to negotiate extensions with key players. Allowing a player of Saliba’s calibre to edge closer to the final year of his contract could invite unwelcome attention from other top sides and potentially weaken Arsenal’s position.
Arsenal have been proactive in renewing the contracts of several key squad members in recent months. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gabriel are among those to have extended their deals at the Emirates, and the club are eager for Saliba to follow suit.
Contract Talks Stalled Amid Madrid Dream
However, The Sun reports that although Arsenal have already offered Saliba a new deal, the player is not prepared to sign it at this time. According to the report, Saliba has delayed negotiations as he continues to hold onto his ambition of one day playing for Real Madrid. By not committing to a renewal, he is reportedly keeping the door open for a potential move.
Saliba has been instrumental to Arsenal’s recent success, and his continued presence is crucial for the club’s ambitions. The hope at the Emirates is that he will commit his long-term future to the team, but for now, his decision remains pending.
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Rumoured BS
So you saying he’s signed the new contract then?
I wouldn’t be so quick as some to write this off. In my opinion, Arsenal should be concerned.
Real Madrid has been interested in Saliba for quite a while now and they can be very patient when necessary. The reason why they’ve not made a move before is because they know that with two years left it puts the pressure on the player’s club to get him to sign a new contract. If they fail to do so the player’s market value will reduce as the contract runs down. If it gets to a year remaining the player can negotiate a deal via his agent in the January (2027, in Saliba’s case) and leave for free the following summer.
Has this worked before for RM? You bet – Mbappe is the most recent example. They specifically waited for him and then got him on a free from PSG (albeit with a huge, but tax-beneficial, “signing on” fee).
If Arsenal wants to retain Saliba, they must try and tie up a new contract. Delay will only benefit RM.
Is it just me or was Saliba off his game 2nd half of the season. ?
And seems like Arteta is already looking at other CBs
Gabriel seemed to be the most missed also season with Saliba perhaps the season before when he was injured
He is a valuable asset for sure… but question is if RM said take Rodrygo and give us Saliba would we ?
Absolutely not if he was willing to sign a new contract but if he was hoping to run the contract down and leave on a free then of course
The start of a new Saliba saga – will he sign or will he leave. And even if we should sell him, rake in a cool 100M. Either way, Just Arsenal writers will be extremely busy. Can’t wait to read Dan Smith’s views on the topic.
Unfortunately, that kind of money won’t be on offer the longer this drags on.
If Saliba gets into his penultimate year (2025-26) with no new contract extension, his market value will drop, particularly if he has only one destination in mind as interest from other clubs won’t matter.
Get that Brazilian guy alexandro ribeiro from Lille in now. If saliba wouldn’t renew swap him for rodrygo asap. No player should be holding the club to ransome. Ribeiro to replace him if he is sold and mosquera as back up
Here we go with the fear mongering when it comes to a given player’s contract talk.
People don’t seem to learn. Keep fear mongering for causing paranoia to themselves for no reason.
🤦♂️
Perhaps we already have his replacement lined up in Mosquera from Valencia.
Your statement is conceivably an accurate reading of the situation. Definitely thinking outside the box (no pun intended). It just goes to show how many possibilities there could be in trying to discern the truth of the matter without really having any idea of what is going on behind the scenes. Berta seems to have half of Europe unsure of our real goals in the transfer market (including current player contracts) and I love it.
Having a successful summer by bringing in our top targets and then winning a major trophy next year might go a long way towards getting Saliba to re-sign.