Arsenal consider William Saliba sale in huge development

Arsenal could see William Saliba arrive and leave the club within two years without playing a single competitive minute for the club as the impending arrival of Ben White could signal the end of his time in north London.

What a complete and utter mess. A signing heralded as an almighty coup on the club’s part having fended off interest elsewhere to secure William Saliba’s coveted signature, despite the fee, it has been nothing short of a disaster.

With Mikel Arteta making right centre-back a priority area for the club this summer, the thought was with a view to bolstering the numbers in that department, securing an upgrade on Rob Holding and adding experience in the role.

Instead, the impending arrival of Ben White has turned the Saliba situation on its head. A player stated to be relishing his Arsenal return and fighting for a place in the squad, is now considering his future.

Arsenal consider William Saliba sale in shocking development as Ben White summer transfer sets defender up for Gunners departure

As per football.london, Saliba is now assessing his options for the coming season with Arsenal closing in on the big-money capture of the Brighton defender. Newcastle, Nice and Marseille are among the clubs chasing his signature, with a loan move the most probably outcome.

However, it’s likely that any loan move would have an obligation to buy clause inserted. There is chance that it wouldn’t be included, although it’s hardly to the player’s benefit.

‘Multiple sources’ have since stated that Saliba could also be sold this summer, this despite the suggestions being from numerous outlets that he would be given his chance to impress in pre-season.

Signed for £27m from Saint-Etienne in 2019, what has transpired since the move has been poorly handled. In every way, from the signing itself, failure to secure loan moves and misuse in the squad. Everything positive about Saliba that has occurred has happened away from Arsenal.

While it was widely expected that Saliba would return and be given the chance to fight for his place, the arrival of White may well have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for him. It’s not certain but Arteta may still have wanted him to come in – there was scope to even start the season at left centre-back with Gabriel away with Brazil – only for Saliba to see the White deal as a threat to his future.

Which is completely understandable, although a Premier League untested 20-year-old centre-back has to imagine there will be some competition for his place.

As per the report, Arteta has concerns over the Frenchman’s age and the club view him as part of the former regime: the likes of Granit Xhaka, Dinos Mavropanos, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira are all due to depart the club soon.

He shouldn’t be considered as a ‘former’ anything.

Continued…

William Saliba Set to Leave Arsenal in Summer Transfer Window

In this instance you have to feel for the player. Above all else.

Saliba, a boyhood Arsenal fan, secured his dream move two years ago and not one person with any affiliation to the club could have envisaged it going this dreadfully wrong for the young defender.

Signed as a prodigy, Arsenal wanted him to join the club immediately, before reluctantly (it seemed) accepting a loan back to his former side.

He cost £27m. How have the club managed to make such an outstanding mistake with this transfer? How his time at Arsenal during Arteta’s reign has been handled has been appalling. If he was a disruptive influence, Arteta should have said. You’d offer him more backing if he provided a reason. If the 20-year-old wasn’t up to the standard required then he should have had another season-long loan sanctioned in the summer.

No such move materialised, he wasn’t even selected for the Europa League squad ahead of injured players and he went back out on loan to Nice. There, as expected, he excelled and at last it was felt his time at Arsenal could finally begin.

However, seeing the club prepared to splash £50m on a player for his position understandably has caused him to rethink. Who wouldn’t? After all he’s not had a chance at senior level. At this stage he has to put his career first and there will be no shortage of suitors for a defender perfectly crafted for the modern game.

The issue is, he isn’t perfectly designed for Arteta. Fans have allowed themselves to get too attached to Saliba without seeing him even play, perhaps because the deal itself was a signal of a new future at the club, and his Arsenal adoration coupled with the fee spent helped endear him to supporters. What has happened behind the scenes isn’t known, yet every report out of France hailed his ability.

At the end of the day though, if the manager doesn’t fancy him, he won’t play him. Without seeing him kick a ball there is this huge attachment to him, beyond him being a kid it’s that every single angle you view this deal from has been mismanaged. From start to finish.

A complete mess from top to bottom, if the best thing for Saliba’s career is a loan move with an obligation to buy or a straight sale, he has to take it. He’ll want to go soon enough, you’d imagine.