Mikel Arteta gives his take on Arsenal star William Saliba's future at the club amid exit rumors

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has given his take on William Saliba's future, amid suggestions that Real Madrid are interested in securing the defender's services. Despite these claims, the Gunners boss is confident that the France international will continue representing the north Londoners in the near future.

Saliba has become a crucial component of Arsenal's squad, forging a strong partnership with Gabriel in central defence. When asked about Saliba's future, Arteta said (via Fabrizio Romano's X account):

“I'm certain, because I had the conversation with Saliba, is that he is so happy here."

“He wants to continue with us. I'm quite confident that William is very happy here and that's the place that he wants to be."

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At the moment, Saliba still has two years left on his current deal at the Emirates. So far this campaign, the 24-year-old has made 47 appearances across competitions for the Gunners, bagging two goals.

He signed for Arsenal in the summer of 2019 from Saint-Etienne. However, he wasn't directly integrated into the first team setup. Saliba completed loan spells at the aforementioned French side, Marseille, and Nice.

After this, he became a part of Arteta's core group and will now be expected to play a key role for the rest of the season. He is likely to start the Gunners' UEFA Champions League second-leg semi-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, May 07, with his team 1-0 behind.

Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal losing Premier League title to Liverpool

Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions last weekend following their 5-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur, April 27. Meanwhile, Arsenal are set to finish second yet again, after doing so for the last two years.

The Gunners' last league success came back in the 2003/04 campaign, where they went unbeaten for the entirety of the competition. When asked if it was painful to lose out on the league title yet again, Mikel Arteta said in a press conference (via Football London):

"Yeah, big time. It's in my tummy, I understand that it is a team that has been more consistent and has had a lot of the ingredients."

Before facing PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday, Arsenal have a league affair to fulfil against Bournemouth on Saturday, May 03. The Cherries are sitting 10th in the standings coming into this game. Expect Arteta to play a second-string team, keeping in mind the midweek Champions League clash.

About the author

Rahul has been a European football journalist for Sportskeeda since 2023. A B.B.A. L.L.B. graduate, he captained his university football team and also played for Boca Juniors Football School during his initial years, and also coached his university's girls team. He always aims to translate his tactical awareness, knowledge of the sport and first-hand experience into well-researched articles for his readers.

A follower of the beautiful game since 2014, Rahul is an avid Arsenal and a match-going Bengaluru FC fan. His favorite footballer is Mesut Ozil due to his love for nimble-footed playmakers, while his favorite manager is the legendary Arsene Wenger owing to the Frenchman's attractive style of football.

Rahul, whose favorite FIFA World Cup moment is Lionel Messi lifting the trophy in 2022, has interviewed grassroots expert Tom Byer in the past and gained insight into Japanese football. He also believes Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland can rule the footballing world and take Ronaldo and Messi's place.

When he is not writing, Rahul likes to spend his time playing football, following the Indian Super League and watching other sports. He is also a huge cricket fan and supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

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Edited by Rahul Naresh