St Etienne have been unable to come to an agreement with Arsenal to extend William Saliba’s loan spell with the club to cover the French Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain this month.
The Gunners posted a statement about the affair on their official website, explaining that the Ligue 1 outfit had been unwilling to go along with their proposed plan to manage Saliba’s injury.
That meant an extension could not be agreed, with the Gunners citing the ‘risk’ involved in prolonging Saliba’s stay while he is injured.
It may seem like a hard-nosed decision but that is what Arsenal need to be. They have had far more than their fair share of problems with regards both injuries and central defenders – so they have made the right call here.
Mikel Arteta was not the manager who signed Saliba, but he has been very willing to give young players prominent roles in his Arsenal revolution.
There is inherently more risk involved in trusting a youngster at the back – where one mistake is so costly – than further forward.
But Arsenal have tried the experience of David Luiz this season and it hasn’t worked.
Faith in youth is a risky policy but it makes sense to trust players who have the potential to be top players for the club in the future, rather than sticking with the proven mediocrity of the current crop.
Arsenal’s decision on Saliba should allow him to be fully fit for the start of next season, giving him the best possible chance of being a crucial play for the club. They’ve made the right call.
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