Wenger ties up his young Gunners - Gibbs joins Ramsey and Wilshere by signing long-term Arsenal deal
03 Jul 2009 - 17:59:40
Arsene Wenger made his third signing of the week - tying England Under 21 star Kieran Gibbs to a new long-term contract at Arsenal.
Left-back Gibbs joins fellow academy graduates Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere in extending their deals at the Emirates.
Wenger said: 'Kieran made such a great impact last season and the progress he made throughout the year was fantastic.
'Kieran is an intelligent player with huge quality and he proved last season with his performances that he has great potential.
'We're delighted that Kieran has committed his future to Arsenal and we're all excited to watch his future development at the club.
After starring in the FA Youth Cup run to the semi-final in 2007, he made two senior appearances in pre-season friendlies two summers ago before earning his competitive debut in the Carling Cup fourth round win at Sheffield United in October 2007.
Gibbs, who can also play in midfield, made his real breakthrough last season, making 21 first team appearances.
His impressive performances towards the end of last season helped to earn him a call-up for the European Under 21 Championship this summer.
Theo Walcott and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski have also signed new contracts since the end of the season.
