After making his first-team debut in August, the 22-year-old French center-back became an important figure for the Gunners last season.
He appeared in 33 games, 27 of which were in the Premier League, and scored three goals in total.
Saliba spent three years on loan in France with Saint-Etienne, OGC Nice, and Marseille before coming back to Arsenal last summer. He soon established himself as a first-team regular under Mikel Arteta, and he was vital to the club's challenge against Manchester City for the Premier League championship.
💬 “I think we can achieve everything. We have the coach, we have the character, we have the players and every year the team gets stronger.”
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 7, 2023
📺 Wilo talks through his decision to sign a new contract and his ambitions with us 👇
His value to Arsenal was arguably highlighted most when he suffered a back injury in the second leg of Arsenal's Europa League round of 16 clash against Sporting CP. The Gunners went on to lose the game, and their Premier League play suffered as a result of the Frenchman's injury, which put him out for the rest of the season.
After securing a spot in France's World Cup team at the end of 2022, Saliba has now been rewarded for his efforts with a four-year deal that includes a considerable pay increase.
"We are thrilled to have signed William Saliba to a new contract," said Edu, the club's sporting director. As part of our vision, William is part of our plans to retain our talented young players so that we can continue to grow and progress together for many years to come.
Saliba's extension with us was something we wanted to achieve for a very long time, said Arteta, who put his trust in him while pairing him with Gabriel Magalhaes last summer. William's performance and value to our team were demonstrated last season.
I am impressed by his ability at just 22, and there is still so much room for improvement for any player at this stage. We're forward to work with William in the future as we advance.
On Thursday, Reiss Nelson agreed to a new four-year contract. Captain Martin Odegaard is set to do the same, rewarding him for a fantastic 2022–23 season.
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