The latest defensive figure to get linked with Arsenal is Saint-Etienne’s William Saliba.
Unai Emery’s scouts were highly impressed by the teenager’s adjustment to senior football and are considering him as a future prospect.
Saliba turned quite a few heads this season with his 19 appearances for Les Verts. He made 16 appearances in the Ligue 1 on both sides of the centre-half position.
He has also represented the France youth sides various times, ranging from the U16s to the U19s. The 18-year-old is currently not being pursued by a whole lot of clubs but interests could pick up if Arsenal decide to wait.
Saint-Etienne are hesitant towards selling him after extending his contract by 4 years this April. However, they could be convinced into a deal if a fee worth €20-30m is offered.
The Gunners need additional bodies on the defensive end which became even more evident this season. Shkodran Mustafi is not fit to be called a starting figure for the Gunners and Laurent Koscielny is almost 34.
Emery has turned a few things around at Arsenal but he has found it hard to improve the backline without able bodies. Saliba has been showing a lot of promise which can be further developed in the Premier League.
However, an inexperienced teenager is not exactly the profile Arsenal might need right at this very moment. With the likes of Rob Holding (23) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (21) already in the Gunners ranks, Saliba might just be another youngster further below in the club’s pecking order.
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