William Saliba wants to return to Arsenal this summer and plans to fight for his first-team place, sources close to the player have indicated to TEAMtalk.
Saliba, then a tender 18, arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2019 with a huge price tag of £30m. Fast forward three years later and the Frenchman is still yet to kick a ball competitively for the first team. As such, it’s little wonder to see his future with the Gunners called into question.
The 21-year-old has spent his last couple of seasons on loan in Ligue 1 with Saint-Étienne and Marseille. Indeed, Saliba has racked up the most minutes (4,135 at the time of writing) in the current campaign of any player 21 or under in Europe’s top five leagues. As such, Arsenal would consider the loan to be fulfilling its purpose.
The Frenchman’s consistency and form has not gone unnoticed by Europe’s elite. Indeed, Saliba has earned himself a first senior call-up to the current world champions, France. In addition, there is growing interest in the Arsenal man from Atlético Madrid and Marseille.
Mikel Arteta has been clear on who he wants in his squad and who he doesn’t. You either fit the mould or you are out the door.
The key issue for Saliba at Arsenal has always been that he was signed by the club under the ‘old regime’ of Unai Emery. Indeed, as a signing of the likes of fellow Les Bleus Mattéo Guendouzi – as well as Lucas Torreira – all three have found themselves loaned out.
Indeed, both the other two players will leave the club on a permanent basis this summer.
Will William Saliba stay beyond the summer?
Arsenal are focused on homegrown talents this summer and, because the north London side were clever, they registered the central defender in their squad each season, despite sending him out on loan.
That means that once the 2022/23 season begins, he will be classed as a homegrown player. And that will certainly work in his favour. It also makes it less likely that he will be allowed to leave…
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