Arsenal Confirm Huge Boost As Trio Sign New Contract Extensions

Arsenal have confirmed this afternoon that Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Gedion Zelalem have all signed new contracts at the club.

Ramsey became a key player for us during the first half of the season with his 13 goals in 27 appearances helping us to the top of the table, before a thigh injury picked up against West Ham on Boxing Day halted his progress and he’s been on the treatment table ever since.

However, he’s done enough to convince Arsene Wenger he deserves a new deal and while the club haven’t confirmed any details other than he’s signed a new ‘long-term’ extension, Goal claim the Welshman has seen his basic wage rise from £60,000-a-week to £85,000-a-week.

Cazorla has been a consistent first team regular since joining the club from Malaga in 2012 and was rightly voted as the clubs Player of the Season last year. He’s been less influential at times this campaign but he’s still a vital member of the first team and Goal suggest the 29-year-old has signed a one-year extension to 2017 with his wage increasing to £80,000-a-week.

If these figures prove to be accurate, it’s interesting that the club deem Ramsey as a more valuable asset than Cazorla, but the duo are both now two of the highest earners at the club.

They have also been joined by exciting youngster Zelalem in committing their futures to Arsenal, with the 17-year-old signing his first professional contract. The midfielder is being tipped for big things and has progressed well since joining the club in January 2013, making his first team debut back in January.

Arsène Wenger told Arsenal.com:

“We are very pleased that Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Gedion Zelalem have committed their futures to the Club. Cazorla and Ramsey are absolutely key players for us, and this news is a boost to the whole club. Gedion is very young of course, but he has shown already that he has fantastic promise, and we all look forward to his development with us.”

Ramsey was delighted to have signed his new deal, saying he wants to be part of something special at Arsenal:

“I’m delighted to have signed a new contract. I’ve been here for six years and I’m so happy. I think we’ve shown so far this season what we’re all about and the direction that this club wants to go in. I want to be a part of that, and to be a part of something special at Arsenal. We have a great team which we believe can achieve great things.”

Cazorla was also happy to have sorted out his future and expects the club to push on and be a ‘big player’ in competing for trophies:

“I’m so happy to have signed a new contract with Arsenal. This club makes me very happy – the manager, my team-mates, the fantastic supporters, the stadium and the whole organisation here.

“I have had a great time with the Club since joining nearly two years ago, and I think that we can be a big player in competing for the top trophies in years to come and that’s important for me. I have already had lots of good moments here and hopefully there will be many more to come.”

The trio have quickly followed Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky in signing new deals at Arsenal, so it shows the club are really keen to get their key men tied down to long-term contracts and avoid situations that we’ve seen in the past where players have been allowed to enter the final year of their deals.

MORE: Arsenal ready for £100m summer spending spree

One such player is Bacary Sagna who’s out-of-contract this summer and there is still no sign of the right-back agreeing terms over a new deal. Fingers crossed we can get the Frenchman tied down soon as he’s the last remaining player we need to secure, and Arsene will have a huge void to fill if the 31-year-old leaves on a free at the end of the season.