Goal journalist Charles Watts has said on his YouTube channel that Arsenal defender William Saliba is not training at London Colney at the moment.
Arsenal have begun pre-season training, but Saliba – who cost the Gunners £27 million in transfer fees, according to The Guardian – is not with the squad.
The well-known and well-respected journalist has suggested that the reason why the 20-year-old central defender has not started pre-season training with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is that he is set to leave on loan.
The Athletic reported earlier this month that Saliba will join Marseille on loan from Arsenal this summer.
What has been said
Watts said about Saliba on his YouTube channel: “At the moment, I don’t think he has been training with the rest of the squad, I don’t think he is at London Colney at the moment from what I hear. So, I think maybe they are trying to get this deal done with Marseille.”
The journalist added: “As far as I am aware, he has not started pre-season yet with the rest of the squad.”
No future at Arsenal?
Saliba is only 20, and perhaps it would be silly to claim that the defender does not have a long-term future at Arsenal.
But you have to ask whether the Frenchman can get into the team as long as Arteta is the manager.
Remember, the youngster could not make a single competitive appearance for Arsenal in the first half of last season.
The French centre-back was then sent out on loan to Nice in France in the January transfer window.
And now, without even getting a chance in pre-season, Saliba is reportedly on his way back to France again.
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