Canal Plus via Mail Sport says that William Saliba is desperate to leave Arsenal next month, and he is prepared to take a huge pay cut to make that happen.
The Frenchman was signed by Arsenal in the summer of 2019, but he was allowed to continue his development at Saint Etienne for the whole of last season.
Having joined the club at the start of this campaign, he was expected to become one of Arsenal’s key men.
But he is yet to play any competitive games for them, and he wasn’t even registered for their Europa League squad.
He is now expected to leave Arsenal this month and if his wages will be a problem, he is prepared to shed a large part of it.
The report says that he earns around £160,000-a-month at Arsenal at the moment, and he is prepared to earn just £90,000-a-month if that would help him seal a move back to his former team.
Arsenal wants the defender to be a part of their team, but Mikel Arteta thinks that he is not yet ready to start playing for the club and wants him to get another season of regular football.
Arteta, as the coach, knows what’s the best for Saliba.
The young man just needs to be patient and work with the coaches. This summer Arsenal will probably be offloading a whole lot of players at the back positions. That should open the space for Saliba to settle in for a real kickstart to his Arsenal career.
If they didn’t think he was close to being ready why is he on that wage??? I’m hoping that was a typo or just misinformation…there’s no way anyone will take him on loan for either amount, even his old team…more importantly, how will this player ever get the poor taste out his mouth, considering what he’s experienced so far at the club, which includes the whole refusing to let him play in the League Cup final with his former mates…someone from the club needs to be more transparent about how this whole seemingly disastrous situation has unfolded…maybe it’s a whole lot of nothing, maybe it’s Agent-speak, maybe it’s a fairly simple communication breakdown or maybe it’s another indication of how poorly this club continues to be run…regardless we should be more informed of the particulars so that this negative narrative doesn’t continue to linger
Everything I’ve seen says hes in 40k per week which works our to just over 160k/month. A lot for a 19 year old U23 player.
Arteta gets a lot of stick for not playing Saliba but reality is he isn’t dominating in U23 and our CBs are playing quite well.
If he wants to leave then sell. If he wants to stay then a loan to a PL side like Newcastle might suit. I cant see him getting much game time with the first team this season, even if Mustafi goes.
To be honest, I’m more disappointed with Chambers not getting a look I. He was arguably our best defender last year before getting hurt.
TRVL, while agreeing with your main thrust, we need to remember that The Arsenal were prepared to let Salibas play in the French Cup final.
It was the French clubs refusal to relent on a spedific contract clause that caused the problem.
If Arsenal had let him play, it would have meant the club having to pay for the privilege of Saliba appearing in the French Cup final – at least that was the message coming out of the club.
considering how his former club allowed Arsenal to restructure the deal so that it was most advantageous for us and the fact that it appeared we had no intention whatsoever to have him play regularly on the first team, it would have been wise on our part to find a reasonable compromise so that our supposed future prospect could have played in maybe the most meaningful game he would have ever participated in…if things had transpired, as you have suggested, why do you think Saliba’s demeanor towards the our club has been so sour since the offing; even before the peculiar Europa roster decisions…I believe this was poorly handled by our higher-ups and it seems clear that Saliba thinks likewise
Ken is correct and one can understand Arsenal’s concern to protect its player asset; however I still believe Arsenal’s lack of consent for Saliba to play in the French cup final was harsh.
Also Arsenal’s failure to register Saliba, deeming him not ready for even Europa League, when his former St Ettienne team mate is playing regularly for Leicester City has been difficult to understand and obviously upsetting to Saliba.
I beleive it’s a simple case of yet another bit of bad business from Arsenal. Another mistake to strike off in the book of errors! MA obviously does not think that highly of him. More money wasted!!
Yet GunneRay, his team mate at St Ettienne, who wasn’t rated as highly as Saliba, is playing every match (when fit) for Leicester City. Saliba has not been given the same opportunities at Arsenal, which sits below Leicester in the table.
Just as we have moved on from Emery, who for reasons outside his control- apart from his language difficulties, which were down to him alone – never had a fair crack at the whip (and I still believe he is a good manager at the right club and right country), so we have also moved on with a new manager.
Decisions made during Emerys time, meaning Saliba and Pepe – though it seems clear that PEPE was NOT his choice but was foisted on him – means that neither were chosen by MA.
That fact being the demonstrable case, then MA, as manager, must be free to make his own decisions about both and also any other players who were not HIS own free choice.
As supporters we should support our manager in what he decides and that is what I will always do and always have done , UNLESS and UNTIL any manager proves he is incapable of making progress , after having had a fair crack of the whip.
That is a fair minded and sober conclusion from this realist, who also believes in loyalty to the manager in charge, subject to my caveat above.
One could claim Arteta not ready as well, based on no experience as a manager ever, anywhere. I’m just skeptical about Saliba not being “ready” as Arteta claims. If that’s the case, isn’t it the managers job and his assistants to get players ready? Didn’t Arteta even say it was a mistake not to register him for early Europa stages?
I would say the same regarding Willock and Nketiah, based on their performances in the PL. Nketiah was benched in the 2nd division, yet he gets chances. Willock done sweet FA in PL, yet gets opportunities.
I don’t see Saliba train, but hard to see a starter in French league deemed “not ready” when Nketiah and Willock are.
ESR, Martinelli, & Saka are good examples of performing when being called upon. Is it too much to give Saliba a sub appearance even?
If Edu thought enough to spend £30 million on 18 yr old, then he should stand by his decision. If he is this flippant with club’s money, then maybe Edu is not ready either.
Just raising the question and wondering if there’s more to this story than appears. Seems different standards for different players. For example, Pepe benched for performances & not defending, but Willian seems to get a pass.
I’m merely making a point and raising the question. Others will disagree and that’s fine, I’m just trying to understand how Arteta handles players.
Just seems a waste to give up before being given a chance; and possibly losing more money on top of the funds already wasted.
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Arteta is biased!!.. How is willock and Nelson playing and saliba cannot even make the bench?….. Something is wrong
There are some hard to see qualities of Arteta. Not good ones. He is learning that you cannot bulldoze players and he needs to have ‘human qualities’. He seems to have no real ‘man management’ skills’. Brendan Rogers bought Wesley Fofana, Saliba’s secondary sidekick in French football and has given him many chances. Saliba though, is treated with a patronising, belittling attitude. Personally that makes me feel sick. There is a dark side, and a disturbing lack of humility and empathy in Arteta. Heeds some more ‘humanity’ IMHO.