Arsenal has done very well in signing players in recent months, tying its stars to long-term contracts.
This used to be a weakness of the Gunners, who had a bad habit a few years ago of allowing their biggest talents to enter the final year of their contracts.
Arsenal has clearly corrected this and is now quickly and decisively retaining its biggest assets, which is crucial both on the pitch and in the market.
William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have all signed new contracts with the Gunners in the last 12 months.
Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are likely to be the next Arsenal stars to sign new contracts, and according to Fabrizio Romano, talks are “very advanced”.
Arsenal are on track for new contracts for Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White:
The Gunners defensive duo are high on the priority list for a contract extension at Emirates Stadium, an insider told GiveMeSport.
“Negotiations with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu have progressed,” Romano began.
“It’s also normal during the transfer window that sometimes it’s not easy for clubs to meet with the agents of these players and finalise these deals because they are busy with something else, maybe with departures, maybe with loans, maybe with new signings.
“So it’s also normal that in negotiations there are these kinds of reservations, but they are already very advanced. I think for Arsenal this is a priority.
“They have shown for a long time how important it is for them to extend the contracts of key players and they keep thinking that Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu will be next in line.”
It’s great to hear from Roman that Arsenal are on the right track with White and Tomiyasu’s contracts.
White has been a revelation for the Gunners, amassing 112 appearances since his £50 million transfer from Brighton in the summer of 2021.
The 26-year-old’s current contract runs until the summer of 2026, so it is important that Arsenal try to tie him down as he approaches the final two years.
Although Tomiyasu has not been such a regular player, he has still been a very useful member of Mikel Arteta’s squad.
The 25-year-old, who is under contract until 2025 with a one-year option, has amassed 73 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners since his arrival three years ago.
Hopefully it won’t be long before they officially put pen to paper, but it’s still pleasing that everything seems to be going according to plan.