Arsenal secures defender's contract until 2030

English club Arsenal announced on Tuesday the renewal of the contract of French international defender William Saliba until June 2030, confirming the club's commitment to its young defender as a key pillar of Spanish coach Mikel Arteta's project. Saliba, 24, joined the Gunners in the summer of 2019 from French club Saint-Étienne. Since then, he has made 140 appearances for the team across various competitions. Saliba began his football career in Saint-Étienne's academy, before being promoted to the first team in the 2018-2019 season, where he made 23 appearances. After moving to Arsenal, he was loaned back to his former club for the 2019-20 season, helping them reach the French Cup final. He also had two successful loan spells with Nice and Marseille, where he excelled and was crowned Ligue 1's Young Player of the Year for the 2021-2022 season and named in that season's Team of the Season. Since making his Arsenal debut against Crystal Palace in 2022, Saliba has proven his ability to confidently and confidently lead the defensive line, contributing to the team's defense being among the best in the Premier League. In recognition of his performances, he has been named in the PFA Team of the Year for three consecutive seasons and was also named in the 2024 FIFA World XI. At international level, Saliba has represented France 28 times since his first call-up in 2022. He participated in the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, where he played a prominent role in helping Les Bleus reach the semi-finals, earning him a spot in the tournament's Team of the Year. For his part, coach Mikel Arteta expressed his happiness with Saliba's continued support, saying: "William has a great personality on and off the pitch, and is respected and loved by everyone. He has shown great maturity and responsibility, and has become a role model. We believe in his abilities and that he has a promising future ahead of him. Our shared goal is to win major trophies."