Arsenal can secure William Saliba's long-term future at the Emirates Stadium by returning to the UEFA Champions League next season.
The Gunners sit top of the Premier League table and look to be strong contenders to finish inside the top four come the end of the season. Arsenal missed out on a top four spot last term at the expense of their north London rivals Tottenham, with Mikel Arteta coming under heavy criticism.
The Gunners are flying this season having already secured their place in the Europa League knockout rounds and challenging reigning Premier League champions Manchester City heading into the break for the World Cup in Qatar.
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Saliba has been crucial to Arsenal's impressive performances, keeping six clean sheets in 14 appearances across all competitions, after returning from a successful loan spell with Marseille last term in which he won the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season award.
The French defender's future at the Emirates Stadium was unclear heading into the summer transfer window with Atletico Madrid among the clubs linked with him. Arsenal were able to convince Saliba to remain at the club and that decision has seen the Gunners reap the rewards, with the 21-year-old proving to be one of the best defenders in the English top-flight this season.
Saliba's performances have resulted in him receiving a call-up to the France squad, with the Arsenal star looking likely to start for his country at the World Cup this winter. The Gunners remain keen to tie down the defender to a new long-term contract, with his current deal set to expire next summer, although Arsenal do have the option to extend his terms by a further year.
Gabriel Magalhaes recently signed a new deal to keep him at the Emirates Stadium until 2027, with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Saliba all set to be offered new contracts in the coming months, along with technical director Edu Gaspar, who has impressed with his work in the transfer market.
Spanish outlet Fichajes are reporting that Atletico have a ‘massive problem’ at centre-back with Felipe, Stefan Savic, Jose Maria Gimenez ‘not at the level expected of them’, with manager Diego Simeone thought to have Saliba's signing as one of his 'greatest wishes' at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The report also suggests that Atletico came ‘really close’ to signing the French centre-back before he joined Arsenal in a £27million deal back in 2019. The La Liga outfit were thought to have ‘returned to the fray last season’ following Saliba's impressive displays on-loan for Marseille in Ligue 1 as he helped the French side return to the UEFA Champions League.
Atletico were dumped out of Europe's elite club competition on Tuesday night after finishing bottom of the group, suggesting Saliba made the right decision to stay with Arsenal as they look to progress in the Europa League and seal a return to the Champions League next season.
If the Gunners were to somehow finish outside the top four once again, or not win the Europa League, it could see the French defender refuse a new deal and look to jump ship for a team involved in the Champions League on a regular basis.
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