Liverpool left in a bind after Arsenal’s latest move

After weeks of murmurs that he had agreed to extend his contract, it became official on Tuesday: William Saliba has signed a new deal at Arsenal.

The Frenchman is now tied to the club until June 2030, putting an end to speculation over his future.

Highly admired at the Santiago Bernabéu, Saliba’s long-term commitment to Arsenal had been in doubt for months. Real Madrid were surprised at the news!

It has long been football’s worst-kept secret that Real Madrid are keen to land a top centre-back in 2026, with Saliba and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté packaged as dream defensive signings.

Had Saliba not signed fresh terms, he would have entered the final 12 months of his deal next summer, forcing Arsenal to either cash in or risk losing him for free.

With the new contract signed, that pressure is off. Arsenal have locked down their defensive stalwart for the long haul.

Liverpool Done Dirty

While Arsenal are clearly the biggest winners here, Liverpool may well be the biggest losers.

Reacting to the Saliba news, Rousing The Kop did not hold back:

“Not only does this [Saliba’s new deal] affect Liverpool due to Arsenal being much stronger with him, but it means Madrid will likely end their interest in him — for now at least — and solely focus on signing Ibrahima Konaté.”

Having missed out on one top target in Saliba, Los Blancos are expected to pivot to the other, Konaté.

Praise for Arsenal’s Talent Management

Sporting director Andrea Berta deserves immense credit.

He has been a breath of fresh air at Arsenal, and his eye for quality signings and ability to retain elite talent is proving vital to the club’s ambitions.

Now, the ball is in Mikel Arteta’s court. It is up to him to get the best out of this squad and justify Saliba’s decision to commit.

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