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Arsenal defender William Saliba made his debut in last weekend's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, catching the eye with a solid performance at the heart of the Gunners' defence. Saliba has been locked in talks with Arsenal regarding a new contract, and it appears as if the Frenchman is finally ready to agree terms on a new 5 year deal.
Both Edu and Mikel Arteta have been won over by the Frenchman's incredible performances for Marseille last season in Ligue 1, and now the club have upped their original offer of £80,000 per week to more than £115,000 a week. The player's agent has been in North London several times over the last couple of months, and the news that Saliba is almost ready to sign a new deal will delight many club supporters.
Arsenal already have talented duo Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes in their defence, but last weekend White showed that he is a versatile player and can play at right-back, leaving Arteta in a position to decide whether or not Saliba becomes his first choice starting central defender.
However, importantly, the breakthrough in contract discussions is likely to be a welcome boost for Arsenal as the club look to stability around the youngster's long term future.
Mikel Arteta revealed that Saliba had no plans to leave Arsenal, saying in an interview: "He was very convinced and determined to come here - he never suggested anything else. Only Arsenal. From the first conversation, he only had one intention: to come here and start to play football matches for Arsenal."
Written by Ketan Patel
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