Arsenal’s William Saliba is set to leave the club on a short-term basis in January and reportedly wants to ensure that any loan move is to another team based in the UK.
Arsenal’s William Saliba Set to Stay in the UK on Loan
Saliba Struggling to Feature for Arsenal
It’s common knowledge now that the Gunners are prepared to let the defender leave the club as part of a loan deal in the January transfer window.
The 19-year-old has struggled to feature for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta has shown no signs of throwing him into the starting 11 yet. Therefore, a loan move could be best for both parties, as Saliba remains desperate for playing time.
Arsenal’s William Saliba Would Like to Remain in the UK
Now, reports are claiming that the player himself would like to remain in the UK as part of any loan deal. There remain offers from France (as there were in the summer) but it appears he now seems set on staying where he is.
It would no doubt help the defender to get up to scratch more quickly, as once he has proven he can cut it in the English game, Arteta may be more inclined to pick him when he returns to the Emirates Stadium.
By spending the remaining six months of the current campaign out on loan, it could mean that he would return to Arsenal in the summer with the chance to finally break into the first-team, especially considering a number of other Gunners’ defender’s contracts are expiring at the end of the season.
Saliba Impressed for Saint-Etienne Before Arsenal Move
Saliba certainly has the potential to be a future key player for the club, having impressed as an 18-year old in France for former club Saint-Etienne. He played 28 first-team games for the club and that was enough to convince Arsenal to bring the player over to England.
Although yet to feature for the Gunners’ first-team, he has played for the club’s reserve team on five occasions and will be hoping that a loan spell can help him make the step-up to the actual starting lineup sooner rather than later.
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