It is safe to say that Arsenal doesn’t enjoy a fine relationship with the French side, Saint Etienne after the Gunners spoiled their efforts to bring back William Saliba on loan once again.
The Gunners signed the 19-year-old Frenchman from Saint Etienne last summer and they allowed him to remain with them for the rest of the season.
He helped them reached the final of the French Cup and when covid19 broke, he had returned to the Emirates before the final could be played.
Saint Etienne tried to strike a deal with Arsenal to take him, but they couldn’t reach an agreement with the Gunners, they slammed Arsenal for the failed move.
As Saliba continues to struggle in his first season at the club, the French side attempted to take him on loan again for the rest of the season.
They had secured an agreement with Arsenal, but some administrative fault from the Gunners side meant the move wasn’t completed before the transfer window shuts.
They have now slammed the Gunners again for that problem.
A statement on the French club’s official website read: “Long before the transfer window closed, AS Saint-Etienne had reached an agreement with William Saliba and accepted Arsenal’s offer for a one-season loan.
“Unfortunately, all the administrative conditions could not be met in time, in England, for the completion of the deal.
“The disappointment is great for ASSE and William Saliba, who was particularly determined to return to a club where he has flourished.”
All i can say is we must have a better plan for him.
They should EFF off.. Arsenal were busy handling the TP deal
Saint etiene acting like free loaders. Arsenal should have asked for 10 mil loan fee.
forget all the politics,I feel for the young William,nothing seems to go right for him,setback after setback !☹️
👍 It is a shame…
It is Sue,I know it won’t be the same as going back to his childhood club but I’m pretty confident he will be well looked after among the Arsenal family!👍
I see this as a blessing in disguise for him and us instead of a setback. He will definitely come good.
If saint ettein wants him back that means he is fit to play, so why can’t he be featured in cup games at least. That young man would be regretting his move to Arsenal.
Saint Etienne come across as having absolutely no class.
I hope William can secure a loan move to a Championship side, the window for that doesnt close for another week or so.
I read that Fulham and another PL club were interested in taking him on loan but for some reason it didn’t happen!??
What i don’t understand if he is not ready to play for us in the EPL why would he be ready to play for another EPL side. The only way he will be ready to play for us is to train with us and be part of the setup.
Don’t see why we don’t offer Saliba, Willock and Nelson on loan and some money to Brentford for Benerahma. All 3 would be starters and should help Brentford achieve promotion installing a winning mentality on them. They all get to play together and Brentford isn’t exactly far from the Emirates. It’s a win win for everyone involved.
Honestly. Nelson has nothing to offer in Arsenal for now. Including Willock. Benrahma should be in Arsenal. He is just wasting in Brentford.
The Benrhama I watched at the playoffs …,nothing special …
Overrated. …….
Where were we “slammed” exactly?
Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill.
What with PSG reportedly wanting Soks for free and St Ettiene trying to get us to pay the extra £2,500,000 in order thaat he could play for them in the French FA cup final, I am so pleased both these French parasite clubs missed out on trying to con our club.
I don’t know what happened, but just as we have with Atletico Madrid, let’s keep showing the world we are not anybody’s fool and, in fact, are starting to throw our weight about!!!
Well said ken
You don’t mean it! That St. Etienne wanted us to still pay so our player will play for them.
Very ridiculous!
There must be something wrong upstairs with them.
I find it stupid Ken that we would even consider sending the player on loan back to a club that was hardballing us when he wanted to play in the cup final against PSg, asking us to pay extra money, we shouldn’t even be doing business with them after that. I’d rather see Saliba go to a championship club than to them for another season.
Agree 100% Ksitx – I originally thought that, as hewas homesick and just lost his Mum, it made sense to let him return home.
The disgraceful behaviour of both PSg and St. Ettienne has made me reconsider.
It’s a shame for Salibas, but these clubs have to start realizing that we are not going to be a soft touch under Edu and Mikel.
I do have to ask though, if he is fit, why not play him in the youth team and keep him under the clubs wing?
You know I like black and white situations and this scenario is a real puzzle…but whatever it is, no way should we entertain either of these French clubs…real parasites!!!
I wrote this on another article but it’s more suitable for this article.
I know people are saying he’s young, moved to a new country and sadly lost his mother in May but Arteta has stated he didn’t have an ideal transition year. It’s the 1st time I have heard of any player needing to transition before moving club. Pepe came to us and went straight into the 1st team, as did Martinelli and Ceballos. All 3 are young and moved to a new country. Every transfer windows players move countries and go straight into the positions they were bought for.
As for him losing his mother and loaning him back out to France (Rennes, St Etienne) so he can be closer to his family. There was talk of him going to Fulham or is talk of him going to a Championship club. How is that letting him be closer to his family!
There’s something else going on. He wasn’t a Arteta signing. Someone mentioned in an other post Arteta is getting rid of the Emery signings although I don’t think that is the case. As Arteta said everyone starts with a clear slate.
I think it could be one of 4 reasons. 1. Arteta doesn’t rate him and doesn’t see a future for him at Arsenal. 2. He’s having trouble adapting to Arteta’s style of play and tactics (playing out from the back). 3. He has confidence issues and beeds to go somewhere where the pressure (fans expectations that he’s the next VVD) is not so great. 4. He’s homesick but then how will loaning him to an English team help with that.
Whatever the reason It’s nothing to do with transition.
We now have (or will have) 7 CB’s at Arsenal. Luiz, Holding, Gabriel, Saliba, Chambers, Mari and Mavropanos out on loan. It was announced this morning we have signed Omar Rekik from Hertha Berlin. I right footed CB who will be joining in January. Saliba just happens to be a Right footed CB. Did we need to sign a 7th?
Something is going on with Saliba. I just hope he gets his head down and works hard to get himself in the squad.