Arsenal now 'confident of finalising agreement' with £27m star at the Emirates | OneFootball

Arsenal are still 'in control' of the situation and 'confident' they will be able to extend William Saliba's contract at the club, Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has told GIVEMESPORT.

Saliba's current deal expires at the end of the 2023/24 season, meaning Arsenal must tie the player down or risk losing him for nothing next summer.

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Arsenal news - William Saliba

Saliba joined the Gunners from St Etienne for £27 million in 2019, as per Sky Sports, before he was loaned back to France three seasons in a row. His loan spells at St Etienne, Nice and then Marseille culminated in Saliba being named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in 2021/22, before he returned to Arsenal and cemented himself in Mikel Arteta's starting lineup this season.

The club and the player have reportedly been locked in talks since the turn of the year, with ESPN reporting that Saliba rejected fresh terms on January 17. On May 5 they reported that Arsenal were 'edging closer' to a deal with the 22-year-old, with Arteta stating "it is about timing, nothing else."

According to The Sun, however, Arsenal have been 'shocked' by the player's wage demands despite being ready to triple his £40,000 per week salary to £120,000 per week. The club are apparently 'nowhere near an agreement' and are fearful that PSG could snatch the player for free next summer.

What has Taylor said about Arsenal and Saliba?

Asked about reports indicating that Arsenal have been surprised by Saliba's wage demands, Taylor said: "I think I would probably take those reports with a pinch of salt. I think it's pretty obvious that Saliba is going to be attracting interest from elsewhere because of how good he's been in his debut season in the Premier League. But from what I understand, Arsenal still feel in control of the situation and they're still confident that they will be able to to finalise that contract."

Should Arsenal do everything they can to retain Saliba?

As demonstrated by their capitulation down the final stretch of the season without Saliba anchoring their defence, Arsenal are dependent on the centre-back whether they like it or not. While he may be demanding big wages after effectively only strong season at the Emirates, a player of his quality would set them back around £70 million or more in the current transfer market, so securing his long-term future with the team is imperative - even if it costs them.