William Saliba’s future has been a topic of concern for Arsenal fans.
The Frenchman is one of the best defenders in the world right now. He has been absolutely brilliant since making his debut under Mikel Arteta in 2022, and he is arguably the first name on the team sheet every week.
Arsenal fans want to see Saliba stay as a Gunner forever, but the former Saint-Etienne man will enter the final two years of his contract this summer.
That has led to several Arsenal fans worrying, especially as Real Madrid have been linked with a move to sign Saliba constantly in recent months.
Now, there is a positive update.
Fabrizio Romano shares Andrea Berta’s role in convincing William Saliba to sign a new contract
Andrea Berta is about to become Arsenal’s new sporting director, replacing Edu Gaspar following his resignation in November.
The Gunners have taken their time to find a new man for the role, and after a lot of thinking, they have decided that Berta is the man.
The Italian is expected to be officially announced during this international break, but Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Berta has already signed his contract at Arsenal.
That means the Italian has already begun his job, and one of his first tasks at the Emirates will be to open contract talks with Saliba.
Romano has claimed that Berta’s appointment plays in important role in those conversations as the Italian will be the one who will lead the negotiations.
The journalist has revealed the four things Berta will explain to Saliba in order to convince him to sign a new deal – the project, the long-term view, the ambitions of the club and also new wages.
Romano said in a video on his YouTube channel: “Now, we are entering an important moment for Arsenal because in the next days, hours, we will see, but everything is signed for the new director to take care of the situation. It’s going to be Andrea Berta.
“Andrea Berta will work on a new contract for William Saliba. You need a new director, obviously you have the manager who’s really powerful at Arsenal like Mikel Arteta.
“But, the new director can explain the project, the long-term view, the ambition, all these sort of things, and obviously discuss numbers in terms of contract with the player.
“So, discussions to follow between Arsenal and Saliba on the contract.”
READ MORE: What William Saliba is privately telling Arsenal about his contract and Real Madrid links
How much does William Saliba earn at Arsenal?
Saliba has been on Arsenal’s books for nearly six years now, but he only got his opportunity at the start of the 2022/23 season.
The Frenchman’s rise has been magnificent since, and he was rewarded with a new contract in July 2023. That deal sees Saliba pocket £190,000-a-week at Arsenal.
The North Londoners will have to increase those wages considerably to tie him down to a new deal as he will know that Real Madrid would pay him significantly more if he decided to move.
Nine Real Madrid players currently earn more than Saliba – including defenders David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger, who are both on the wrong side of 30.
Arsenal will know what to offer, and thankfully for them, Saliba has expressed his desire to stay at the Emirates.
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