Arsenal could find themselves in a ‘very poor situation’ if they lose William Saliba as contract talks stall over a new deal for one of the Premier League’s breakout stars.
They say ‘absence makes the heart grow stronger’.
And it certainly did during William Saliba‘s injury-enforced absence during the final stretch of a campaign which promised so much but delivered ultimately nothing. A run of just two wins in eight games during the run-in – Arsenal left choking on Manchester City’s dust as a long-awaited Premier League title slipped through Mikel Arteta’s fingers – coincided with the Frenchman’s spell on the sidelines with a back injury.
But, with just one year on his contract and with Paris Saint-Germain looming in the shadows, spectre in hand, fears are growing that Arsenal could lose one of Europe’s most exciting central defenders.
The Sun report that the Gunners have been ‘shocked’ by Saliba’s wage demands.
Arsenal face William Saliba battle as PSG show interest
“This is a difficult one,” Keown, a three-time Premier League winner with Arsenal, tells talkSPORT (5 June, 12pm). “He’s been immense this year. He was almost a better player out the team and he was bloody good in the team!
“He was allowed to go on loan for three years, which might have been not perfect. So he has seen other things. I am hoping he is just posturing for the best money he can (get), because he is a really important player.”
The Sun adds that, despite offering Saliba the chance to triple his current £40,000-a-week salary, an agreement is ‘nowhere near’ being reached.
Perhaps the former Marseille and St Etienne youngster is looking at the new, £200,000-a-week contract bestowed upon Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka and wondering if he too should be afforded similar terms.
“Do Arsenal want to fast track him to that kind of money?” Keown asks. “He’s got another year, and that ups the ante. I am pretty sure they will be trying to get the deal done.”
“He has seen what Saka is getting,” adds Simon Jordan, who spent a decade as the chairman of Crystal Palace.
“Good centre-halves are very, very rare. He is a commodity. I don’t want to see him getting £200,000-a-week but this is the nature of the beast.
“It would be a very poor situation if they did lose this player.”
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