Arsenal have been strongly linked with a move for St. Etienne’s William Saliba but Club President Rolan Romeyer’s comments hint that he will stay in France.
The Gunners have been strongly linked with a move for the highly-rated teenage sensation but with a contract that keeps him at the club until the summer of 2023, St Etienne could well keep hold of him despite the interest in him. L’Equipe reported that Tottenham and AS Roma are also interested in Saliba but the teenager prefers a move to the Gunners.
However, Club President Roland Romeyer has now adamantly brushed off all the speculation involving Saliba and claimed that his side are under no obligation to sell him this summer.
Romeyer said: “William is under contract with Saint-Etienne until 2023. He likes it here and wants to play European football with the club that grew him at youth level. I understand that he is a wanted man due to his talent and the qualities that he showed last season.”
He also revealed the amount of work done by his side behind the scenes to develop the younger players and claimed that it is all in the DNA of the club. “That also highlights the value of all the work done in our youth academy in perfect harmony with the coaching staff of the first-team.
“Other youngsters will soon burst onto the scene. Our youth set-up is part of the DNA of the club and we are constantly putting more resources behind it as evidenced by the considerable renovation works that are currently being undertaken. To come back to William, we are under no obligation to sell him to another club, nor are we in some urgent financial situation.”
Saliba’s stock is expected to grow a ton more than it has over the last few months and St Etienne could be tempted to hold onto him for another year before cashing in on him next summer for an outrageous fee.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will be dealt a huge blow considering how close the reports claimed they were to completing the signing.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
