William Saliba’s exceptional performances for Arsenal have attracted worldwide interest from European heavyweights like Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, but fans can rest assured, knowing the Frenchman has not yet considered a transfer away from the Emirates, reveals Fabrizio Romano.
It follows after Real Madrid ace, Antonio Rudiger, waxed lyrical about the Arsenal man, going as far as to say he would be the ideal signing for the Spanish giants. Such words caused panic among the Gunners’ fan faithful, but Saliba has already signed a long-term contract with the club, and despite growing outside interest, his future remains in north London.
William Saliba Remains ‘Very Happy’ at Arsenal
There is little chance of him leaving Mikel Arteta’s project
Via his Daily Briefing, Romano addressed the rumours surrounding Saliba’s future, which particularly sprung into some uncertainty following Antonio Rudiger’s interview. He wrote:
“I can say there is absolutely nothing going on with Saliba and any other club. Back in the summer we had rumours about Saliba and PSG, and about Spanish clubs, but the reality is that he never considered leaving Arsenal. He extended his contract in summer 2023, and he remains very happy with life at the club, it’s fantastic for him there.
“Saliba can see the ambition under manager Mikel Arteta, and he can see how important he is in the project.
“It’s obvious that Saliba would have admirers from other big players as he’s one of the best centre-backs in the world, but it’s a compliment for the player, but nothing more than that. Saliba is very happy at Arsenal and they are very happy with him, so the intention is to continue together for the long term.”
Since signing on as an Arsenal player in 2019, Saliba instead spent much of his early years abroad in France, and it wasn’t until 2022 when he made his Premier League debut. His quality has come leaps and bounds from that point onwards, and the 23-year-old has now firmly cemented himself as one of the best defenders on the planet.
Such quality is destined to attract transfer interest, and reports from last month indicated that PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were among a plethora of clubs queuing for his signature. However, having recently signed a new contract in the summer of 2023, with terms expiring as late as 2027, Saliba has conclusively confirmed that his future still lies at the Emirates.
Arsenal Reject Latest Approach for Gabriel Jesus
The Brazilian has struggled to appease fans
Saliba isn’t the only Arsenal man attracting overseas interest – Gabriel Jesus recently received an approach, rather for a different reason, however. According to South American sources, Globo, the 12-time Brazilian champions, Palmeira, proposed a shock return for Jesus to South America, but their enquiry was reportedly turned down swiftly, with the Gunners unwilling to entertain an exit for their striker.
Gabriel Jesus’ 2023/24 Premier League Statistics | |
|---|---|
Matches | 27 |
Goals | 4 |
Assists | 5 |
Shots Per 90 | 3.35 |
Key Passes Per 90 | 1.77 |
Jesus has struggled for form at N5 lately, scoring just four times since the beginning of last season, and new fan-favorite, Kai Havertz, has replaced his role as the team’s centre-forward. Notwithstanding the poor output, there remains a sense that Jesus could feature in useful rotational roles across the front-line, and it may be for that reason why the club were reluctant to initiate negotiations.
With a congested winter fixture schedule fast approaching, Arteta will be hoping for the absolute best from each individual in the squad, and should Jesus be hoping for an extended future at the Emirates, now is the ideal time to prove his worth.
All statistics courtesy of FBRef.com – Correct as of 06/10/2024