French-Cameroonian star William Saliba commits future to Arsenal after agreeing new long-term deal

Arsenal centre-back William Saliba has reached an agreement over a new long-term contract with the north London club, extending his stay beyond his current deal which runs until June 2027.

The 24-year-old is expected to officially sign the new terms in the coming days, providing Mikel Arteta’s side with a major boost ahead of the new season.

Saliba, who was born in France but of Cameroonian heritage, has become one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders since establishing himself as a first-team regular at the Emirates Stadium.

His form has attracted significant interest from Real Madrid, but the France international stated in March that he was “happy at Arsenal” and determined to win silverware with the club. Arsenal’s last major trophy remains the FA Cup in 2020.

Asked in July whether he planned to sign an extension, Saliba said: “Yes, hopefully — of course there is nothing now but there is a good conversation with my agent and the club. Let’s see.” His new agreement ends months of speculation about his future.

The defender was integral to Arsenal maintaining the league’s strongest defensive record over the past two campaigns.

He made 51 appearances in all competitions last season as Arteta’s team finished second in the Premier League for the third consecutive year and reached the Champions League semi-final.

Saliba joined Arsenal from Saint-Etienne in 2019 and initially spent successive loan spells with Nice and Marseille before becoming a cornerstone of Arteta’s defence.

His renewal follows fresh contracts for centre-back partner Gabriel, forward Leandro Trossard and academy talents Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, underlining Arsenal’s commitment to keeping its core group together for the long term.