Arsenal ready to make defender one of club’s highest earners

Arsenal travel to The Netherlands to face Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday. 

Mikel Arteta’s side look set to miss out on the Premier League title having fallen 13 points behind leaders Liverpool, and the Champions League therefore looks likely to be their once chance of silverware this term.

The Gunners will go into the two-legged tie against PSV as favourites to progress, but their counterparts will undoubtedly provide a stern test both in Eindhoven and back in North London.

In the meantime, it appears that Arsenal are preparing a huge new contract offer for one of their most important players.

As per TBR Football’s Graeme Bailey, the North London side are set to reward central defender William Saliba with a bumper new contract.

Saliba, 23, joined the Gunners from French side Saint-Etienne in 2019 but initially returned to the club on loan, before also spending time on loan at fellow French sides Nice and Marseille.

He returned to England in 2022 and has since established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

Saliba is set to be rewarded with a new contract at Arsenal

In total the Frenchman has played 119 times for the Gunners across all competitions, but his impressive displays have attracted interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

With that in mind, the report claims that Arsenal are now ready to reward the player with a significant pay rise.

Saliba’s current contract is set to run until 2027, but the report claims that Arsenal will offer him an extension that will earn him almost £250,000-per-week.

That figure would make the France international one of Arsenal’s highest earners, alongside the likes of Declan Rice, Matin Odegaard and Kai Havertz.

It is also claimed that Arsenal are confident that the defender will agree to sign a new deal and commit his long-term future to the club.