Arsenal and William Saliba: This is for the long term

Arsenal may have to loan back William Saliba to Saint Etienne for a year to secure a transfer. It is not ideal, but the move is for the long term. It is important that is kept in the forefront of their minds.

There are a variety of reasons why a transfer might be made. The team is desperate for any player that position. The selling team is ready to cash in. The player is pushing for a move. The need is immediate and significant. There is terrific long-term potential.

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Whatever the reason for buying or selling, however convincing or unrealistic it may be, it is crucial that throughout negotiations, it is kept at the forefront of everyone’s minds, so when problems arrive, and they most certainly will, all can remember which factors are compromisable and which are not.

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This summer, Arsenal are pursuing young centre-half, William Saliba. The Saint Etienne defender emerged as a staring option for the French club this past season, making 16 Ligue 1 appearances by the end of the year. Still only 18 years of age, such starting experience in a top-five European league is extremely attractive. Consequently, plenty of top clubs are chasing the teenager, the Gunners chief among them.

For Arsenal, however, there was a major sticking point in the negotiations with St. Etienne. The French club wanted Saliba back on a one-year loan for the 2019/20 season. This is the same structure of deal as they conducted with Kurt Zouma when the young defender moved to Chelsea in 2014. Raul Sanllehi and Unai Emery were reportedly reluctant to agree to the terms, concerned with not being able to bolster the troublesome centre-back position in the here and now.

But that hesitation stems from management missing of the point. Arsenal are not trying to sign Saliba to fix their defensive problems in the here and now. If they were, they would not be looking at an 18-year-old centre-back.

That is not to say that the position needs help. It does. Unquestionably. But in the case of Saliba, that is not the motivation of his transfer. For Saliba, the reason the move is being sanctioned and pursued is that Arsenal view him as the long-term anchor of their defence. This has very little to do with what he can provide next season and a whole lot more to do with what he can offer for the many years to come, as well, cynically, as his potential resale value. The move is far more comparable to the Matteo Guendouzi transfer last summer.

Yes, it would be ideal if Saliba could make the move to north London without having to spend a loan season back in France, but St. Etienne are clearly not going to sanction the deal without that clause being in place. As a result, the Gunners must compromise.

Given the point of this transfer, Saliba’s availability for one season is compromisable. He is coming to the Emirates for the long term. It is vital that Arsenal keep that in mind.