Mikael Silvestre believes William Saliba needs another season out on loan from Arsenal despite his fine form at Olympique Marseille in this campaign.
The defender is yet to play for the Gunners since they signed him in 2019 and he has spent most of his career out on loan.
He keeps getting better and even earned a France cap recently because of his fine form at OM.
Some fans and pundits expect him to compete for a place in the Arsenal team in the 2022/2023 season, but Silvestre thinks otherwise.
He argues that Saliba will struggle to break into the team ahead of Gabriel Magalhaes or Ben White and he believes keeping him on the bench behind those two will stall his development.
It would be better to send him out on loan again to a club where he can get regular playing time.
The former defender said, as quoted by The Sun: “If you look at Gabriel and Ben White, I think that should be the partnership for next season. If Saliba comes in, he will be a back-up.
“He is still young and I would be tempted to give him another year on loan so he can become even more consistent.
“He has improved on this loan, but there have been some games where he wasn’t at his best level.
“To develop and to become a big part of Arsenal for the future, if you put him on the bench after playing a full season for Marseille, that would be a backwards step in his development.
“They have to make a big decision on his future.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Arsenal has a big decision to make on the future of Saliba in the summer and it would be very tough for them.
The defender deserves to stay at the club, but it would not make any sense if he remains and cannot get enough playing time.
Perhaps, the Gunners will change their system into a back–three to accommodate him and the current defensive options.
Let Saliba come back and fight for his place in the team.
We are going to need a much better and quality squad next season. We have a lot of games and competitions to participate in.
Injuries and loss of form in the first team always gives others in the squad an opportunity to make a claim for themselves in the first team.
Ignore him, Saliba is coming back at the end of this season.
Saliba is making his debut next season,PERIOD!!!
Saliba does not want to come back to a club who said he was useless and did not even give him a chance. . Guendouzie who hates Arteta will be in Saliba’s ear to run down his contract and leave on a free. Why leave Marseilles who are a big club huge stadium massive passionate crowds and a manager who trusted him and fans who love him to go play in a dead stadium for a Manager who siad he was useless in a country where it rains 300 days a year? Arsenal will have to offer him 200k p/w and a starting place
I’ve watched him half a dozen matches this season and he’s IMO way above the 50 million we got ripped off on the Ben white transfer ,how Arteta has let this player run down his Contract and constantly make up excuses why he’s been loaned out is a mystery to me .
My take on it is that he wasn’t a Arteta signing and he’s tried to be cute ,unfortunately now the balls in Salibas court with 2 years remaining on his contract ,he can come back sit it out or the club sell a prospect that numerous big clubs are sniffing around .
End of the day it’s a Fck up
My take on the same mystery, DK : How to donate 50M to your competitor Brighton FC, starring El matador, Senor Arteta…..guest appearance by Edu Gaspar.
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Saliba is most probably coming back to play for Arsenal. Arsenal was always his first choice. As regards game time, I am sure he will have plenty considering we are most surely making it to Europe and also MA could revert to a back 3, with Saliba, White and Gabriel which would also suit Tavares as he is better as LWB instead of LB.
I don’t understand how some people can be so sure that Saliba will be with us next season,when his agent said few days ago that they had no idea what’s going on and that they haven’t had any contact with MA !! could someone enlighten me please?