CW on contracts

"It's a massive boost, absolutely huge. A lot of the talk is about transfers, but the renewals are just as important because of who we need to get renewed. You're not talking about any old players, you're talking about the real core group in Gabriel, Saliba, Saka, two real talented youngsters in Myles and Ethan.

"It's a really important summer for renewals and to start it off with Gabriel, who in my view was Arsenal's Player of the Season, it's a huge boost. These talks have been going on for quite a long time now, but for Andrea Berta to come in and get them over the line pretty quickly - he's had to build these relationships.

"It's not like Edu who had relationships with the player, agents, families. Berta's come in, had to pick up the pieces and build those relationships, which are really important. For him to get this one over the line will be a big boost to him.

"It'll be a big statement for Arsenal, a big statement for Andrea Berta as well. To see such an important player sign early on, the snowball effect it could create could be really, really important. Massive news."

"That was a fear, wasn't it? The longer it goes on, you start to worry. Is this group going to break up? We've seen it before, Tottenham are an example under Pochettino - they got up to second, couldn't quite get over the line. The squad started to dismantle and you had to start all over again. You don't want to see that happening with Arsenal.

"They've worked so hard to get into the position they are. You don't want to lose those big players. A, because it sends out a bad message and others can start to follow suit, and then it's more difficult to bring in top players because they're seeing big players leaving.

"It's a really important statement, and for someone like William Saliba as well. To see his mate, his mentor almost; when he talks about Gabriel, you can feel the respect coming out, as a friend but as a player as well. To see Gabriel sign that contract, you've got to think that will help with Saliba at such an important time of his renewal."

Written by
Ben Knapton