Arsenal: Newcastle eye shock William Saliba & Willock double signing

William Saliba is coming home. Or is he? Heading back to Arsenal hoping to make his first ever senior competitive appearance(s) for the club since signing two years ago, Newcastle are instead looking be the recipients of his Premier League debut.

Arsenal and Newcastle have been in the headlines together plenty in recent weeks following the sensational loan spell of Joe Willock on Tyneside.

Eight goals in 13 games with seven of those coming in consecutive fixtures, the Hale End wonder is the centre of much speculation in the papers and among the fans. £20m was the original quoted price, a fee that grossly undervalues a player of his profile, before talk emerged of the Gunners upping their bid.

Simon Jones of the Mail states that Newcastle are still heavily interested but are waiting on Arsenal to make a decision, one that likely won’t come until after some pre-season training where Mikel Arteta can reassess Willock in the flesh.

Newcastle eye Arsenal pair William Saliba & Joe Willock in surprise double signing this summer transfer window

However, a lovely additional note has entered the fray as Newcastle would also like to sign Saliba on loan for the entire coming campaign. Another player who is not sure on his future with Arteta already stating he will make a decision with Saliba after some pre-season training, the Magpies have seen an opportunity.

And that should be the end of that conversation.

Any other mention from St James’ Park about Saliba should be shut down. Arsenal should not entertain any offers of any kind for his services and that should be final. Last year, maybe, after it was decided that the 20-year-old wasn’t at the level yet to play for the club and spent half the season with the Under-23’s before six months in Nice, it would have been a good deal.

Rob Holding was also memorably close to joining the Newcastle on loan, only for Arteta’s assessment of Saliba to pull the plug on that deal.

The £27m signing has to make multiple Premier League appearances next season but his debut in the competition should come in red and white. Anything other than a flat no on his one will not suffice. No more loan moves away, he might as well be sold because he’ll have no interest in playing for this football club if so.

He won’t be a regular starter for the Gunners next season – Arteta won’t risk what could be his final months in the job on an untested youngster – but he will play. Hopefully. If he’s good enough for the first team, then even better. He’s certainly talented enough to be a centre-back for Arsenal, so Steve Bruce can look elsewhere.