Mikel Arteta confident of new Bukayo Saka, William Saliba deals

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has claimed that he is confident the Gunners will agree contract extensions with Bukayo Saka and William Saliba.

The Gunners announced at the start of the month that Gabriel Martinelli had signed a new long-term contract with the club.

Martinelli is understood to have signed a £180,000-per-week deal until 2027, which is also said to include a 12-month extension option.

Having tied down the Brazilian to a new deal, Arsenal have now turned their focus to securing the long-term futures of Saka and Saliba.

Arsenal have already triggered options to extend the stays of both Saka and Saliba by an extra year, but the pair are still only contracted until June 2024.

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Although the duo have less than 18 months remaining on their current deals, Arteta is confident that ongoing negotiations will be successful.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's home meeting with Brentford, the Arsenal boss was asked whether the extensions for Saka and Saliba would take of themselves.

"Yeah, they will do," he replied. "In the same way we dealt with Gabi [Martinelli], we will deal with the rest.

"Things need time sometimes but we are delighted with the news of Gabi obviously."

Saliba joined the Gunners from Saint-Etienne in 2019, and he immediately returned to the French club on a season-long loan deal.

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The defender also spent time on loan with Nice and Marseille, before he made his long-awaited debut for Arsenal at the start of the current campaign.

Saliba, who has started all 20 of Arsenal's Premier League games this season, has established a formidable central defensive partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes, helping the club establish a five-point lead at the top of the table.

Saka, meanwhile, rose through the academy ranks at Arsenal, where he has become one of the key players in Arteta's side.

The England international has provided seven assists this season - more than any of his teammates - and he has also registered eight goals in his 28 competitive appearances this term.