William Saliba has enjoyed a great season of football with Marseille in Ligue 1, but Arsenal are still not believed to be ready to offer him a first-team role for next season.
The 21 year-old joined the club from St Etienne in the summer of 2019, but is yet to make his competitive debut for the Gunners as he enjoys his third loan spell away from the club.
He remains highly rated in a number of circles, with him even promoted to the France international squad, taking on both South Africa and the Ivory Coast last month.
Saliba is set to return to north London at the end of his loan spell this summer, but is unlikely to be happy should his playing time be limited upon his return, and the FootballInsider claims that there is no plan to promote him ahead of either Ben White or Gabriel Magalhaes.
The report also adds that we are open to a sale for the right price this summer, with his current temporary home Marseille believed to be keen on his extended stay beyond his loan spell.
With a potential return to Champions League football for next season, Saliba could well be viewed as one to pick up his fair share of minutes with the added need to rotate the squad with the extra top-level fixtures to juggle, and it could well prove to be that his stay at the Emirates next season could well depend on us achieving that top-four spot.
Should Saliba be given assurances over his first-team minutes next term? Should he get the chance to displace White/Gabriel for the new season?
Patrick
Who really knows about the truth to these rumor.
My personal opinion is Saliba has shown enough to compete for a starting spot. Goals conceded this year is not lower than last year, and neither White nor Gabriel should be nailed on starters.
It would be madness to not have competition for a CB spot, only trumped in stupidity by Selling Saliba in the Summer.
A top young talent who has earned his chance and who should be considered a candidate to start games.
Glad to see that you are aware of the goals against situation as well Durand.
It’s pretty obvious we need to improve the area that everyone was saying had been addressed.
It hasn’t, despite five of the first team signings being approved by MA.
Let’s hope that MA gives him the opportunity, especially as it looks like european football is returning to the Emirates.
If this happens then I will be absolutely furious as William Saliba coming back ticks alot of boxes and saves alot of money shelling out on more CBs.
Saliba, Gabriel, White & Holding can do the job at the back next season. White can also play RB as can Saliba, both can play in a back 3 with Gabriel if needs be In some games.
Get him back and focus on a top midfielder and Striker then add on extras like a back up RB, CM and possibly Winger.
Eddie & Laca defo leaving and Pepe & Nelson may be on there way too.
The first sentence is different to the last sentence.
It starts off saying he’s not tobe offered a first team role (as in squad member who has a chance to play some game time, perhaps in a rotation with others who are playing well).
Then the last sentence asks about guaranteeing game time which is very different. No sensible manager guarantees someone will play, no matter how badly they’ve played in recent games.
He should be part of the squad if he’s good enough (and it sounds as though he is) but he should have no more guarantees than any other squad member, just the same opportunities.
Madness….maybe its a personality clash…..he was never given an opportunity by Arsenal. Not even included in a squad that had five goalkeepers….Madness
There is definitely something about this kid a think the gaffer don’t like.
Having said that, we should extend his contract and allow him to play where ever he chooses for atleast another year
Quote: “The report also adds….” BEWARE the word REPORT Whenever I see the word”report” I automaticlly go straight away into deep thinking mode, so I use my perfectly adequate and vastly life experienced brain to see whether or not ANY truth is likely to be in that so called “REPORT”!
Nearly always the obvious answer is “No, there is no truth whatsoever in the report or rumour”!
Waht I neve rdo is accept any so called report or rumour as bei ng true unless I HAVE THOUGHT IT OUT FIRST AND COME UP WITH TH SAM CONCLUSION AS THE REPORT.
IF – which is almost all the time – it makes no sense at all to me, I immediately dismiss it as the nonsense it nearly always is.
This article falls firmly into that last sentence.
Sincerely hope so Jon, there just too much uncertainty surrounding this vastly talented kid
We have seen both white and gabriel make mistakes leading to goal, even the later is top 3rd in the league. What Saliba has shown in the league A deserves a starting position; if not, we should let him go and watch him acheive big things elsewhere. I was thinking if arteta has something with french speakers? …