One of Arsenal’s summer signings may soon be finalized, and it’s not Declan Rice.
Following an agreement on a deal worth £105 million with their London rivals, the Gunners appear to be close to completing a move for the West Ham United captain in the near future. Mikel Arteta and the Gunners have made a bold statement in an effort to close the gap between themselves and Manchester City before the upcoming season.
More newcomers are anticipated, but Arteta and Edu also have other matters to attend to before the start of the new campaign.
Additionally, Arsenal has contract issues to resolve. In this regard, they got off to a strong start this summer by signing Bukayo Saka to a new, long-term contract. Center-back William Saliba, whose current contract is slated to expire in 2024, was always going to be next on the list. However, Arsenal has the option to unilaterally extend the agreement by one year.
Given Saliba’s rocky start at Arsenal, the Gunners have had to move cautiously around the Frenchman. Before eventually receiving a chance with the first team, Saliba had been loaned out three times. He seized the opportunity and joined Gabriel Magalhaes as an important member of Arteta’s back line.
However, a new contract has now been offered, suggesting that a deal has been in place for some time. It appears that Arsenal anticipated potential issues with the center-back if their preparations for the summer transfer market fell through.
William Saliba will shortly sign an official new long-term deal with Arsenal, according to a tweet from Fabrizio Romano. The agreement was signed one month ago, so it’s only a question of time. Deal with the #AFC through June 2027 with an additional season option.
For Arteta, who is looking to make long-term plans at the Emirates Stadium, this is a tremendous help.