Arsenal are hoping for a massive boost with the star to start new contract negotiations after a stellar season

WILLIAM SALIBA is set to negotiate a new deal with Arsenal.

The defenseman was a sensation in his Gunners breakthrough season before a back injury ended his season in mid-March.

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Saliba, 22, started in the first 27 Premier League games. His absence was one of the main reasons Arsenal fell behind Manchester City in the title race.

But his current Emirates contract expires in the summer of 2024 – as the centre-back has been on loan for most of the first three years at the club.

The Gunners are therefore keen to keep him on a long-term basis.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are praying for a Manchester City collapse – both in Europe and in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have already secured second place in the table and a return to the Champions League after a seven-year absence.

But if City beat Real Madrid tonight, Arsenal’s chances of landing a nightmare draw – which could include both Real and Bayern Munich – by falling into the third seeding pot increase.

Arsenal’s faint title hopes will be wiped out this weekend unless they manage to beat Nottingham Forest or City take three points against Chelsea.

But tonight they have a keen interest in Pep Guardiola’s team losing to Madrid and shattering their dream of a European Championship.

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Next season’s top eight seeds for the group stage draw in Monaco will be the champions from England, Spain, Germany, France, Italy and Portugal, as well as the winners of the Champions League and Europa League.

Then follow the eight highest-ranked teams in Uefa’s club coefficient calculation.

As things stand these would be Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, Inter Milan, Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Leipzig and Porto, with Arsenal one spot off the list.

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