Arsenal’s latest stance on William Saliba’s future after France call-up, with the star yet to play a single minute for Arsenal
According to rumours, Arsenal will shortly begin talks with William Saliba about his future at the club.
Saliba has yet to play a single minute for Arsenal after joining from Saint-Etienne for £27 million in 2019.
The French defender is now on his third loan spell away from Arsenal since joining the club.
His performance in Marseille earned him his first call-up to the France senior squad on Monday.
Saliba will go with Didier Deschamps’ team to Ivory Coast on Friday and South Africa on Tuesday. After Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard tested positive for COVID-19, he took his spot.
After returning from Nice, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta felt Saliba needed another season on loan. The current contract of the centre-back at the Emirates expires in 2024.
According to the Telegraph, negotiations about his future have yet to take place, although they are expected to take place shortly. There is no word on whether Arsenal will offer a new deal.
Arsenal fans have longed to see Saliba in the famed red and white shirt. However, their only appearance to date has been in a pre-season friendly against MK Dons in 2020.
Arteta has already said that he understands why fans find it difficult to understand why a promising teenager like Saliba has been loaned out so frequently.
However, the Spaniard stressed that it was done in the best interests of the athlete.
Last September, Arteta stated:
“I know that sometimes it’s difficult to explain or understand after the money that the club has spent trying to bring him in, to send him on loan. But a lot of things have happened to him, he’s a long-term player for us and we need to protect him as well.
“And giving him three or four games is not enough. For him, he needs much more than that, because what happened in the last 18 months, he’s been through some personal problems as well that we have to try to help him and stay as close as possible to him.
“And now he needs to play, play and play and enjoy his profession as well. And in order to do that I think we found the right club with him.
“He’s very happy to go there now. Hopefully he can enjoy his football and be ready for us for next season.”
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Arsenal’s latest stance on William Saliba’s future after France call-up, with the star yet to play a single minute for Arsenal
