William Saliba has been rendered unavailable for Arsenal’s impending fixture against Leeds. While the French defender has exhibited a dominant performance throughout the season, a back injury has forced him to sit out of the upcoming match and possibly more games.
Nevertheless, Saliba remains the center of attention in today’s football news for reasons unrelated to his physical fitness. The esteemed player has yet to finalize a new agreement with Arsenal, which may pose problems for the club.
As per the assertions of French football expert Jonathan Johnson of CaughtOffside, Arsenal might need to confront French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for William Saliba.
Johnson has stated in his recent column for the publication that PSG will keep a vigilant watch on the situation involving Saliba at Arsenal. He added, “Saliba obviously has Parisian roots; he’s from Bondy, the same town as Kylian Mbappe, so he’ll appeal to the French champions.”
However, there is one complicating factor with Saliba that should not be disregarded: his loan spell with Marseille, which was notably successful. Johnson believes that this will remain in the minds of some PSG fans.
He further stated, “I believe PSG, like many other top clubs, will keep a close eye on Saliba and see if an opportunity arises, but given the amount of money it would now take to entice him away from an Arsenal side that could be on the verge of winning the Premier League title, it appears unlikely to me at this time.”
Considering Arsenal paid £27 million for Saliba, bestowed him with a handsome £40,000-a-week contract, and have had the benefit of his skills for less than a season, it is reasonable to assume that Saliba would be an expensive player.
While PSG remains unfazed about the financial aspect, it does present a challenge in the form of Arsenal holding out until they receive what they want. This, of course, could change if Saliba expresses a desire to leave.