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William Saliba agrees to new five-year deal with Arsenal, Rio Ngumoha signs first pro contract at Liverpool

William Saliba is sticking with Arsenal
William Saliba is sticking with Arsenal

Arsenal defender William Saliba has agreed a contract extension.

The France international's new deal is for five years and will run until 2030.

Saliba's previous contract was due to expire in 2027. His impressive form for the Gunners had attracted interest from Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old joined Arsenal from St Etienne in July 2019 but was loaned back to the Ligue 1 club for the following season before having temporary spells with French sides Nice and Marseille.

He has since become a key player at the Emirates Stadium, scoring seven goals in 139 appearances in all competitions.

Centre-back Saliba made his international debut in March 2022 and has won 28 caps for France.

Arsenal, who sit second in the Premier League table - five points behind leaders Liverpool, travel to Newcastle on Sunday.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 25: Rio Ngumoha of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James' Park on August 25, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Meanwhile Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha (above) has signed his first professional contract a month after turning 17 and a year after arriving from Chelsea.

The winger, whose match-winning goal at Newcastle in August made him the club's youngest goal-scorer aged 16 years and 361 days, has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks and has been rewarded with a three-year deal.

Ngumoha, who has made five senior appearances, made his debut in the FA Cup third-round tie at home to Accrington in January and after impressing in pre-season was made a permanent member of head coach Arne Slot's first-team squad.

His Premier League debut saw him score the winner at St James' Park in the 10th minute of added time and his appearance off the bench in last week's Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid made him the club's youngest player in European competition.

Chelsea were unhappy with Liverpool's capture of a player who had been with them since the age of eight and for a while it is understood the club's scouts were banned from watching matches at the Blues' academy.

It is believed the youngster chose to leave as he believed the pathway on offer was better at Liverpool and that decision appears to have already been vindicated.

Off the pitch the club have announced they issued a record 1,114 lifetime bans for ticket touting, with almost half of those imposed following the discovery of mass manipulation of software last season.

Investigators for the club also shut down 162 social media groups, with a combined membership of more than one million users, involved in selling fake tickets or reselling real tickets and closed 45,000 fake ticketing accounts.


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