By Mark Smith

31st Oct, 2022 | 9:30am

Arsenal make formal new contract offer to William Saliba - David Ornstein

Arsenal have now made an offer to extend the contract of William Saliba after his brilliant start to the season, according to David Ornstein.

The Athletic journalist has reported that formal talks have been ongoing, with the Frenchman highly regarded after finally breaking into the first team at the Emirates.

No agreement has been reached so far, but talks are ongoing with Mikel Arteta making him fundamental to his plans as admiring glances come in from around Europe.

Deserved.

Despite not even completing one full season in the Premier League yet, Saliba has been superb in nearly every single outing he has completed.

The Frenchman was forced to complete three separate loan spells after arriving from Saint Etienne, but they appear to have turned him into the performer he is today.

With his contract running until 2023, there is talk of only extending that by an extra year, although that may have changed during discussions with the 21-year-old.

Arsenal have gone through many horrid central defenders in recent years, but Saliba appears to have bucked the trend and catapulted this side forward.

He has even helped transform Gabriel alongside him, who beforehand was a mistake waiting to happen every single week at the Emirates, but not anymore.

Getting this deal done will only highlight yet again the difference in the strategy at Arsenal after years of mismanagement, with the club’s youth policy shining yet again.

Saliba is a standout in the Premier League now, regardless of age, and yet there was talk of him leaving the club over the summer due to a lack of minutes being available.

That has all changed, and the young enforcer looks set to stay for the long haul.

In other Football Wonderkids news, it is the Gunners who are currently leading a hotly-contested race for this Scottish youngster in January.