Naturally, with the anxiousness growing around the future of William Saliba, the finger-pointing has already begun. I often question why the immediate response from so many within the Arsenal fandom is to immediately assume someone must be to blame but I suppose it is ingrained in the fabric of the modern social media world we live in.
This time, reports have suggested Arsenal are somewhat surprised at the wage demands of Saliba as the Frenchman continues talks with the club over his future. The defender has had a stellar season and his performances were imperative to the Gunners’ title chase, so much so that when he was absent through injury, Mikel Arteta’s side looked significantly less like the version that had climbed to the league’s summit.
Signed in 2019, Saliba has just one year left on his deal, with the club activating the one-year option earlier in the season. Despite breakthroughs with Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Magalhães and Bukayo Saka that have seen them all extend their own contracts, there is yet to be a similar situation with the Frenchman.
READ MORE: Pay up or pay the price - Arsenal given harsh William Saliba reality check amid contract talks
With this angst has come suggestions that the loan spells that Arsenal sent Saliba on will come back to bite the club. After his first loan spell back to Saint Etienne, another loan to Ligue 1 side Rennes in 2020 broke down and he remained with the club until January of 2021 before he joined Nice for six months.
After having a good time with Nice, Mikel Arteta felt Saliba still wasn’t yet ready and instead he left for Marseille to play more regular football at a higher level and in Europe and flourished. There was evidence of traits being refined, such as his aerial presence, and these experiences fed into what has been a brilliant season in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta threw Saliba straight into the action against Crystal Palace on the first day. Takehiro Tomiyasu’s absence could have been covered by players Arteta had shown preference to before like Cedric Soares and Rob Holding but he instead put faith in the then 21-year-old and never looked back.
In September after just a few games Saliba said when asked by Sy Sports if he felt at home: "Yes, for sure. I am at home here. I like London, I like the club, I like everything. I feel at home here."
Not particularly the words of a player holding many grudges, even after just a month of playing in the Premier League. After the North London derby win in January, Saliba reiterated the point.
“I am so happy here,” said Saliba. “The club is speaking with my agent and me, the only thing I can do is [focus on my football]. I am so happy here.”
Again, this does not come across like a player who has ill-feeling toward the previous loan spells. It seems clear from how the Frenchman has both acted and spoken how keen he is to stay and that the negotiations remain about wages.
As discussed previously, Arsenal need to appreciate with a year left on his deal Saliba and his representatives hold all the cards and they’ll have to significantly increase his salary to keep him. A deal should reflect his importance to the squad and currently, he is one of, if not, the most important player in the side, so pay up.
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