WILLIAM SALIBA has confirmed he is in talks with Arsenal over a new contract.
The French defender, 21, has had a fabulous season to date but his current terms expire at the end of next season.
Gunners fans will be desperate to see him tied down to a longer deal.
Saliba revealed negotiations are ongoing with his representatives but gave a cryptic answer when asked if an agreement could be struck soon.
The Les Bleus star replied: “Yeah, we will see. They talk a little bit. We will see.”
Saliba first arrived at the Emirates in 2019 from Saint-Etienne for £27million.
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But he was then loaned out for three consecutive seasons, firstly back to the club that sold him, then to Nice and lastly Marseille.
It was with the latter last term that he reached new heights, winning the Ligue Un young player of the year award which led to his first international caps.
He has stepped up his game even further this campaign back at Arsenal, forcing his way in at centre-back with £50m Ben White forced to play at right-back.
No opposing player has gone past Saliba this season and no one in the league has won the ball back more than him.
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He shone in the 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Tottenham on Saturday, winning all of his aerial duels against Harry Kane and Co, completing 96 per cent of his passes as well as making three tackles and three clearances.
Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale labelled Saliba a “Rolls Royce” of a player afterwards.
Yet there was a time when Saliba was being farmed out that he feared he would never get to play in a North London derby, with this weekend’s clash being his first.
Saliba said: “Yeah of course, you have to wait every time and I wait a long time for my first North London derby.
“I enjoyed it from the first minute to the end, and now I am so happy.
“It was a hard game but we were focused all the game. We are so happy and we deserve this win.”
The victory was Arsenal’s seventh in their eight league games this season.
Their stunning form has sent them top of the league with pundits and fans alike now wondering whether Mikel Arteta’s young pretenders could be genuine title contenders this term.
Saliba added: “The more we win, the more we are confident.
“We want every week to win, to win, to win – and that’s it.”
Fresh off facing down Kane, Saliba takes on Mo Salah on Sunday when Liverpool come to the Emirates.
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Quizzed over how much he enjoys these individual battles with the best the Premier League has to offer, seven-cap Saliba replied: “Yeah of course, because we play against the best players in the world.
“It is good for young players like me, and I learn a lot.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
