Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has said that William Saliba has told him that he is very happy at the club.
Speaking recently during a press conference, Arteta said that the French defender is fully focused on continuing his career at the Emirates Stadium.
According to him, transfer speculations will always be part of football, so despite persistent reports linking him with a transfer to Real Madrid, he knows for sure that Saliba wants to remain at Arsenal.
Arteta revealed that he never bothers about such rumours because everything regarding the extension of his star defender’s contract is in the hands of Andrea Berta and the owners.
“I leave those kind of things more for [sporting director] Andrea [Berta] and the club to talk about.
What I’m certain, because I had a conversation with him, that he’s so happy here, that he wants to continue with us, and what will happen in the future.
Obviously it’s our negotiations and things that have to take time and process and be on top of them, but I’m quite confident that William is very happy here and that’s the place that he wants to be,” he said.
Confirming that he watched Liverpool’s title celebrations, Arteta said that even if it was painful to see, watching it can motivate him and his players to strive for the same excellence that past and present EPL winners have displayed.
Arteta disclosed that he could not watch the celebrations for too long because Arsenal has come so close in recent years, but with the required consistency still lacking every season, the club is still so far from its title-winning goal.
“[I watched] a small part of it. It can be part of your motivation, that’s not the biggest part. My motivations are much more focused in other aspects than that one, but it hurts to watch it, that’s for sure.
It was in my tummy. I understand that [Liverpool is] a team that is being more consistent and it has a lot of ingredients that you need to win it, but it’s very painful,” Arteta added.
