Saliba focuses on bigger honors after new contract as he aims to take Arsenal to the next level in the future.
Saliba says Arsenal have to ‘prove we are ready to win’ after signing new contract.
William Saliba acknowledged that it was time for the players to prove their mettle by producing real results and stated that he would not think about leaving Arsenal until he had won a significant prize.
Despite Real Madrid’s intense interest, it was revealed on Tuesday that the France defender has agreed to a new five-year contract. Since joining Arsenal from Saint-Étienne in 2019, Saliba has only won the Community Shield. He spent two and a half of his first three seasons on loan in Ligue 1 before becoming Mikel Arteta’s first choice.
Despite his frustration at finishing as the Premier League runners-up for three consecutive years, the 24-year-old is certain that he can accomplish his goals with Arsenal and has never questioned his commitment to the team.
“I cannot leave this club without giving them something back,” Saliba said. “I’ve won nothing so my first choice was to stay here and win everything first. Every year we’re getting better. This year, we had a lot of experiences from the last three seasons. We know that we’re always close, always close. Now we know how the Premier League is. We know how the Champions League is.
“So we have to stop talking and prove on the pitch that we have to win. Of course, it’s good to talk, but now we have to prove it on the pitch that we are ready to win.
“I’ve been there for three years. Every time at the end of the season you finish second, you’re a bit angry. You want to go on holiday and celebrate with your friends the trophies you won with your club. Of course, when you finish second and you go on holiday, it’s not so good.”
Arteta was full of praise for Saliba, who admitted he had been disappointed by the Arsenal manager’s decision to send him on loan to Nice and then Marseille in his second and third seasons. “There’s a lot that has happened and a lot that Willy had to get through and the club and myself with him as well to get to the point where he is today,” Arteta said. “That’s the beauty of it, that sometimes things don’t start the way you expect it but sometimes it’s the best thing that can happen to you to get what you want to get.”