Arsenal defender William Saliba wants to make his loan move to Marseille permanent, according to reports. It comes after the Frenchman enjoyed a spell with the club, guiding them to second in Ligue 1, earning an automatic pass to the Champions League.
The 21-year-old made 36 appearances in the league, going on to win Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season for his accomplishments, an award previously won by the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni. Such were his accomplishments, the centre-back earned a first call up to the France senior squad, making two first-team appearances.
With the youngster now set to return to the Emirates after his loan, his future hangs in the balance, with uncertainty over his position in the squad. Despite that, manager Mikel Arteta told RMC that he will be an important asset to the team: “He [William Saliba] has to come back.
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“He has the experience and the necessary environment to be competitive with us. If he had stayed with us this year, with one Premier League game a week and with Ben White and Gabriel, he wouldn’t have had half the game time he had with Marseille, that’s for sure.”
The message appears clear from the Spaniard, with some reports suggesting that talks could be held over a new contract soon, with his current one expiring in 2024. However, that may not be the intention of the player.
According to journalist Mohamed Toubache-ter, via GFFN, Saliba wants to stay at Marseille, with both clubs knowing that decision. Despite that, it will still be on Les Olympiens to make an offer that would suit Arsenal, especially with reported interest from other clubs.
Whether the case of the defender continues at the Emirates remains to be seen, with plenty of time left before the transfer window even opens.
