Arsenal centre-back William Saliba has fuelled speculation surrounding his new contract by revealing that he feels at home in north London, potentially putting an end to years of uncertainty about his future.
Signed under Unai Emery, Saliba was loaned back to Saint Etienne and, when he returned, it was Mikel Arteta in charge of his new side. Saliba spent 18 months of the next two years back on loan in France, winning young player of the season last season while playing for Marseille.
As a result of his loans, there was speculation among the Gunners fanbase that the French defender may not feature in Arteta’s plans, but that has been proved well wide of the mark so far this season, with the 21-year-old having played every available minute of Arsenal’s fast start to the Premier League campaign, grabbing two goals in the process.
Now, all attention has turned to a new contract for the centre-back, with his current deal set to expire in 2024. However, Saliba moved to allay any fears of him departing in the near future, revealing that he sees himself at home in north London.
Speaking on his loan spells, the French international told Sky Sports: “now I’m back stronger with a lot of ambition. I’m so happy to be back to play with Arsenal”, before adding “I’m at home here. I like London. I like the club. I like everything. I feel at home.”
This suggests that a new contract may not be a significant obstacle to overcome, and will come as a major boost to Mikel Arteta’s side, who are also in negotiations to extend fellow young star Bukayo Saka’s contract, with the Englishman also a free agent in 2024 as it stands.
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