Arsenal are reportedly ready to sell defender William Saliba in the upcoming summer transfer window.
According to Football Insider, Arsenal are exploring the possibility of offloading defender William Saliba permanently. The Gunners signed the centre-back in 2019, but he hasn’t been able to break into the first team, spending all his Arsenal career out on loan.
The young centre-back was snapped up by the Gunners in a €30 million move from Saint-Etienne and was immediately sent back on loan to the Ligue 1 club. Arsenal held on to him for the first half of the 2020/21 season before sending him out another loan spell, this time to OGC Nice.
After another average season in France, Saliba was on the move again with Marseille signing him on a year-long loan in the 2021 summer window. The 21-year-old has been a mainstay at the heart of the defence for the French club, making 47 appearances for them across competitions this season.
Though Saliba is set for a return to north London after his loan spell with Marseille comes to an end this summer, the aforementioned report claims that manager Mikel Arteta is yet to decide on a role for the young centre-back. The Spaniard is eager to move forward with the central defensive partnership of Ben White and Gabriel, which could seriously affect Saliba’s game time, who still isn’t a finished product.
? William Saliba has won possession in the defensive third more times (143) than any other player in Ligue 1 this season
?♂️ No wonder Marseille have the third best defensive record in the division pic.twitter.com/xgQGiuSzCR
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) April 25, 2022
Having impressed for Marseille this season and making his France debut, Saliba’s stars are on the rise. The Ligue 1 club are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing the defender permanently and the Gunners could make things easy for them, as the aforementioned report states.
Saliba is contracted with Arsenal until 2024 but it looks highly unlikely that he will be used by Arteta in the upcoming season. Arsenal themselves are preparing for a big summer and might have to sell a few players to facilitate incomings. And Saliba, who is a target for Atletico Madrid, could be one of the players who could be offloaded should a sizable offer come along.
Arsenal are currently fourth in the Premier League table, two points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Both the clubs are set to face off in a virtual fourth-spot decider on May 12 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Should they qualify for the Champions League, Arsenal will need adequate depth across all positions in the squad. So, Saliba’s future could also hinge on where they finish the season.
