According to a recent report by Le 10 Sport, Arsenal are prepared to begin talks with Saint-Etienne over a potential move to secure the signature of William Saliba later this summer. The same source has also revealed that the Gunners will face stiff competition from Manchester United in pursuit of the Ligue 1 defensive ace at the end of this campaign.
The Rapid Rise Of William Saliba In France
The 18-year-old was born in Bondy, France and joined Saint-Etienne at a young age. He graduated from the club’s academy before finally establishing himself as a first-team regular in the Ligue 1 this term. Saliba has enjoyed an impressive season with the French outfit after putting in some eye-catching displays under Jean-Louis Gasset’s stewardship during this campaign.
The French teenager has featured in a total of 19 matches for Gasset’s side this term across all competitions. He has made an average of 2.0 tackles, 1.8 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per game in the French top-flight thus far (Stats taken from Whoscored).
Saliba has also represented France at various youth levels and has the potential to play an integral role for his nation’s senior side in the coming years. At 18, the Saint-Etienne has all the makings of a world-class centre-half as long as he can continue improving his game with each season.
What Will The French Defender Add To Emery’s Side?
Saliba has decent pace under his belt to recover when left isolated against his marker in 1v1 situations. The French wonderkid reads the game well which enables him to make some important interceptions for his team. However, he still has a long way to go if he wants to secure a regular starting berth in the Premier League. The Bondy-born prospect will need to work on his upper body at the gym if he wants to have enough strength to cope with the physicality of English football.
Acquiring Saliba: Good Move For Emery?
The addition of a player of Saliba’s potential will undoubtedly bolster Unai Emery’s defensive options in the future. But for now, he won’t add too much quality to the Arsenal squad as he doesn’t have the proven track record to feature for the Gunners on a weekly basis next season.
Emery needs to concentrate on recruiting players with more experience if he wants to put an end to his side’s defensive concerns from this campaign. Unfortunately, Saliba doesn’t fall into that category at the moment.
