Mikel Arteta is expected to play William Saliba against Everton in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night... a chance for him to impress against a Premier League team.
Arsenal take on Frank Lampard's side in Baltimore with the game kicking off at midnight (UK time). It will be the first time the France international, 21, has played under Arteta since completing an impressive season-long loan spell at French giants Marseille.
Saliba has never played a senior competitive game for Arsenal since joining the club from Saint-Etienne for £27million three years ago. His only professional appearances in a Gunners shirt have come in EFL Trophy fixtures against Gillingham and Wimbledon.
During that time, the centre-back has experienced loan spells at Saint-Etienne, Nice and most recently Marseille. His last temporary spell was a huge success, helping them finish second in Ligue 1 and breaking into the France team for the first time.
Saliba has won five senior caps for the national side. He was also named Ligue 1's Young Player of the Year and in their Team of the Year. He's keen to prove himself in the Premier League and, according to football.london, will get that chance against Everton.
Saliba was not part of Arsenal's recent tour of Germany and has been working hard in the gym to get ready for the new season. After their game against Everton, the Gunners will take on Orlando City and Chelsea before flying home to face Sevilla at the Emirates. Their Premier League campaign gets underway away at Crystal Palace on August 5.
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"I belong to Arsenal - and I still have two years there," Saliba said in June. "I will be there for pre-season with Arsenal. I have played zero matches with Arsenal and I want to show them what I'm made of and have the chance to play for the supporters and for this big club."
Saliba went on to say: "In any case, leaving like that would be a shame."
Arteta has previously confirmed Saliba is part of his plans for this coming season. Speaking in May, he said: "He has to come back. He has the experience and the environment necessary to be competitive with us."
Arteta added: "If he had stayed with us this year, with a match of Premier League a week, with Ben White and Gabriel, he wouldn't have had half the playing time he had with Marseille, that's for sure. For his growth and what he can do next season that wouldn't have been good.
"William wasn't with us because he wouldn't have had the playing time to gain experience. That's it, there's nothing else."
There are 33 players on Arsenal's pre-season tour to the US, including new signings Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira. Teenager Marcelo Flores, who has three senior caps for Mexico, did not make the cut and is reportedly unhappy about his exclusion.
