According to various reports, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka have had their deals at Arsenal extended until the summer of 2024 after the club activated 12-month extension clauses included in their existing contracts.
It’s not much of a story, to be honest.
The club increasingly negotiates contracts that allow for a little ‘thanks but no thanks’ wiggle room if the player is deemed both worthless and surplus to requirements but in the case of Saliba and Saka that clearly isn’t the case.
As has been well-documented, we are in fact trying to tie down both players to longer deals which will hopefully be agreed upon at some point in the next few months. The same applies to Charlie Patino.
Gabriel Martinelli, who is also in contract talks with the club, Mo Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Matt Turner and Martin Odegaard have similar clauses, and there may well be others.
As far as we’re aware, Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are the only members of the first team squad who could leave for free next summer.
Nice
Yeah, it is. I can’t help but feel that Saliba might be a little less contractually demanding after two kind of bumpy games. I think it might remind him that he is extremely lucky to be in this side and at this club. He is a star player, just due to his age, his silkiness and his general demeanour. But if we lost against Newcastle and he played poorly, he could theoretically lose his place. I’m really glad that Saliba has dropped a couple of 6’s in games that we won comfortably. It might just remind him that although he’s… Read more »
#RecencyBias.
Sometimes recency means a lot in football.
Eddie Nketiah was a striker that could never fill Jesus’ boots two games ago. If Eddie was after a new contract today, he might just ask for 50k more after the last two matches.
And I did state that Saliba is world class. I know full well this is a little blip in an otherwise unblemished Arsenal career.
But even world class players need to be 100% switched on and match fit at all times.
Might seem tough on Saliba here. But I have to say there was a big part of me that was pretty relieved he didn’t start every match for France and set the world alight during that world cup. Not only does it remove the kind of transfer talk we’ve seen around a Jude Bellingham for example- we could definitely do without chatter of Real, PSG etc circling during a big contract negotiation. But after a couple of *slightly* flawed performances since coming back, then I hope it will allow Arteta to keep him grounded and remind him not to stop… Read more »
Big clubs now find and pretty thoroughly evaluate every prospect in Peru’s third division, let alone one playing for France and the leaders of the Premier League. Everyone already knows how good Saliba is. I don’t think interest would have gone up even if he had made a brilliant sliding tackle on Messi in the final. Because, you know, he actually did that against Mbappe last season.
I’m pretty sure no one changes their negotiating stance in contractual discussions because of performance in a handful of games.
Maybe not dramatically. But from the sounds of it we are offering Saliba a comfy six figures and his team are pushing for more. Gabriel is on 75k from the literature I can see (if that’s true, he deserves more). From his arrival at Arsenal this season, Saliba has been transformative. But a few shaky performances and a world cup with no football might just put his teams feet back on the ground a little. It’s very easy to assume players careers will just sail off into the ether. This is a reminder that there will be dodgy performances from… Read more »
Wenger said that blooding young defenders cost points. I thought of that quote after each of Saliba’s errors this season–and how, because of the team we have now, they only cost us goals, not points. People who watched him closely at Marseille said he made errors there too, but kept improving. I don’t see signs of complacency in Saliba–I see a guy who knows both how good he is (thus, the calm and efficient way he defends) and how much better he can become (his whole demeanour tells you he is the opposite of smug). There’s always a good chance… Read more »
That’s if he isn’t already.
Forget the pen, give them a hammer and chisel
😂😂😂
Maybe not the main story here but I would love if AMN and Reiss can stay with us and adapt with the idea of “squad player” like Rob and Mo.
The ship has sailed for amn, he needs to discover he’s a Southampton squad player now
The standard has risen considerably since AMN’s days. He simply didn’t seem that bothered and that has continued at other clubs.
Reiss yes, though not sure if that’s what he’ll want and I’d understand if he didn’t.
I’ll miss his penalties, but AMN is finished.
Reiss clearly said he wanted to stay at the only club he’s known. Took him a long time to get it together, but he is talented.
I still believe in Reiss-Nelson! Not so much in AMN sadly…
Wasn’t AMN’s contract also extended by a year in the summer so it didn’t expire in 2023?
Probably in hopes of getting a sale rather than gone on a free, and maybe just in case all the other wheels fell off.
definitely not the same situation as these, in any case.
100% that’s why it would’ve been done – was widely reported as having been a condition of the loan at the time (though that could have just been someone making stuff up – happens 😂).
Off topic, but I haven’t had the chance to attend any matches live this season. Are we still singing “North London Forevever” before kickoff? Or was it only a fluke?
It’s an anthem at the Emirates, reason we’ve won all our league games 😊
NOOOOOOORTH LOOOOOONDOOOON FOREVEEEEER
Thanks!
Still rung out loudly at the West Ham game which was great to see. And the fans were especially into it during the NLD this season as you can imagine. But I still think the stadium staff could work it a little bit differently so it takes off more. Like just play about 30s or so of the verses to lead into the chorus. As it is now, the chorus almost comes in immediately catching lots of people in the stadium off guard a little 😅 Also playing it after a big win (some opportunities these coming weeks for sure…)… Read more »
yes they’re still playing that cringe song
It’s not just me then.
Definitely not, or never will be a “You’ll never walk alone”
It is a bit cringe, but so is Never Walk Alone (at least to me). The chorus is pretty anthem though and great to hear the crowd sing. I can understand hesitation to play the verses with kids, tho I imagine there is a clean version.
And to think that the (original) song is from the 1945 musical “Carousel”. It’s certainly come a long way since then!
The chorus is great the verses I’ve already forgotten
They should switch it for “Fuck Magpies Forever” tomorrow night 😃
It can only be agents slowing the process down, if the players comments are to be believed about being happy at the club.
I hope so. Of the “big three” both Saka and Martinelli have (I think) actually been quoted as saying that they want to remain at the club, or words to that effect, as you say. Not much one way or the other from the Saliba camp that I can recall. Personally, I can certainly see all three signing but I wish it could be done and dusted fairly quickly. We don’t really want an on-going “will they, won’t they” story developing.
Have they exercised Xhaka’s option yet?
A sensible measure by the club but I don’t think there’s much to be read into it at this stage. There’s lots going on which must be a factor but I can’t help thinking it’s a pity that one of the “big” three at least couldn’t have been (re)signed by now. Sometimes on-going contract talks can become an unwanted off-field distraction if they drag on. We’re not at that stage yet of course but hopefully someone will sign in the not too distant future.
I’m with you on this one. It is too bad that one of them hasn’t yet signed. Andrew writes above that this isn’t much of a story, but I think it is, in that the club had to extend because renewals haven’t yet been signed. That gives me pause. Hopefully I am being overly worried about something that turns out to be nothing.