Saliba ‘overwhelmed with offers’ but his ‘interest is more to stay in the Premier League’

William Saliba has been overwhelmed with offers ahead of a likely loan move in January but he is interested in staying in the Premier League, according to French media outlet L’Equipe via Sport Witness.

The 19-year-old signed for Arsenal from Saint-Etienne in a £27 million deal last summer and was immediately loaned back to the French side for a season. He linked up with Arsenal permanently ahead of the 2020/21 campaign but is yet to make his debut for the senior side. 

It is understood that the player has not been made aware of why he is not being selected by manager Mikel Arteta, according to Chris Wheatley of football.london. The player is said to be frustrated by his lack of game time and the same can be said of Arsenal fans who are livid at the situation.

Arteta has made it clear that he felt the French defender needed a transitional season that he was supposed to get last year but didn’t due to injuries and the fact that the French season was prematurely brought to a halt due to the pandemic.

Saliba came close to leaving the club and rejoining Saint-Etienne in the closing stages of the summer transfer window but that move collapsed due to administrative challenges.

Edu Gaspar, Arsenal’s technical director, is in contact with the player’s representatives and it is believed the 19-year-old will be sent on loan next month in a bid to allow him to get regular game time.

He has received interest from a number of clubs including former side Saint-Etienne who are very keen on re-signing him for the second half of the season. Dutch side PSV Eindhoven are the latest team to be linked with him and are understood to have registered an interest in the player in the past month.

The promising young centre back is believed to be keen on moving to another Premier League side for the remainder of the season if he does leave Arsenal on loan. A move within the league would allow him to adapt to the rigours of English football and prepare him for his return to North London ahead of the 2021/22 season.