Claude Puel has questioned the motive behind Arsenal’s move for William Saliba as the French teenage star continues to be absent from the club’s first team.
Saliba signed for Arsenal last summer for £27m from Saint Etienne and a good section of the club’s fans were very excited even if most of them hadn’t seen him play until that time.
He was allowed to continue his development at the French side until the end of last season.
He joined the Gunners this summer, with the team struggling at the back, he was expected to become a first-team regular.
He has, however, not made any appearances for the club so far and Saint Etienne even failed in a last-minute bid to take him back on loan for this season.
He was also touted to leave Arsenal on loan to an English side before today’s English transfer window deadline. However, the club called that off.
Puel was speaking to L’Equipe recently and he admits that he is baffled that the defender hasn’t been involved and he wonders why he was signed by the Gunners in the first place.
He told L’Equipe as quoted by The Metro: ‘It was short-term [thinking], even for the kids. A superb player like William, to whom I wish the best, has not even made it to Arsenal’s Europa League squad. Where is the logic, if not financial?’
