Arsenal are to offer 19-year-old England defender Kieran Gibbs a new long-term contract. The England U21 international impressed manager Arsene Wenger with the huge strides he made last season, becoming a regular in the team’s Champions League squad.

He bounced back impressively from his error that let in Park Ji-Sung in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Manchester United. By the end of the season, Gibbs had made 20 first-team appearances, deputising well when left-back Gael Clichy picked up an injury.

And to ward off any would-be suitors, Wenger is keen to tie the full-back down to a new five-year deal that would take his basic wage up into the £20,000-a-week bracket.

Gibbs is currently with the England U21’s at the European Championships in Sweden as Stuart Pearce’s men prepare for their semi-final with the host nation on Friday.