Arsenal defender William Saliba has reaffirmed his commitment to the club, insisting that the team is "very close" to winning a trophy and must "keep working," as he approaches the final two years of his contract at the Emirates.

Saliba has been one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers over the past two seasons, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s top centre-backs.

The 23-year-old’s impressive displays have played a crucial role in Arsenal’s three consecutive Premier League title challenges. However, the team has fallen agonisingly short, finishing behind Manchester City in the past two seasons, and now trailing Liverpool by 15 points in the current campaign.

Arsenal’s most realistic chance of silverware this season lies in the UEFA Champions League, having secured a dominant 7-1 aggregate victory over PSV in the last 16. However, they could face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Speaking about Arsenal’s ambitions, Saliba expressed confidence in the team’s progress and appeared to reaffirm his commitment to the club, stating his desire to help end their five-year trophy drought.

"I think we are very close; we need to keep going," Saliba said. "We can’t stop working. When you’re close but fail to win trophies, it’s frustrating. With hard work, we will take a big step forward, and I am sure we will get there."

The France international added: "Everyone wants to win the Champions League. It’s a tough competition where anything can happen."

Saliba, who reportedly earns just under £200,000 per week at the Emirates, is contracted to Arsenal until the end of the 2026–27 season.

The club is expected to prioritise securing Saliba on a new long-term deal to avoid a situation similar to Liverpool’s current predicament, with Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Virgil van Dijk all approaching the end of their contracts.

In recent months, Saliba has been linked with a potential move to Real Madrid as the Spanish giants seek defensive reinforcements following injuries to key players, including Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão.

Reports from Spain suggest that Madrid are monitoring Saliba’s situation and could make a move for him in 2026, when he will have just one year remaining on his contract.