Arsenal are closing in on the signing of St Etienne defender William Saliba, it has been reported.
The Gunners have agreed to personal terms with Saliba, but are yet to table a formal offer, according to Le10 Sport. However, it is believed that the Ligue 1 outfit are expected to receive €30 million from his sale.
Unai Emery’s side have a tight budget to work with, reportedly £50million, owing to Arsenal’s stuttering performances during the business end of the previous campaign which saw them miss out on a Champions League spot.
Further, a loss in the Europa League final didn’t help. One of their primary areas of concern is their leaky backline and therefore, Arsenal are keen to sign Saliba.
William Saliba: Profile
Saliba emerged through the youth ranks of St Etienne and rose to prominence last season. The central defender, despite his youth age, has already earned rave reviews.
Capable of plying his trade as a centre-back as well as a right-back, Saliba mustered 16 Ligue 1 appearances last season. In the process, he made 2 tackles, 1.8 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per game on an average.
The 18-year-old has represented youth sides of France, and is touted to have a bright future. It has been reported that St Etienne want Arsenal to loan him back to them if a sale materialises.
Will Saliba be a good signing for Emery?
The north London based outfit are in desperate need to bolster their defence. Stephan Lichtsteiner has left the club, while Shkodran Mustafi often flattered to deceive, and was anything but consistent.
Laurent Koscielny, who for so long was a trusted figure at the back, is in the twilight of his career so someone like Saliba could bring a breath of fresh air to the squad.
Saliba is an imposing player at the back, and has played with a sense of maturity that comes rarely with his age, especially for a defender.
He is an excellent reader of the game, and is decisive with his tackling, which is proven by his impressive tackling numbers.
Saliba is also pretty quick for a centre-half, something the Gunners would need as Emery likes his defenders to play slightly higher up the pitch rather than sit deep.
However, using a major chunk of their transfer kitty only to loan him out would make little sense. Saliba has had a meteoric rise in his career, and Arsenal should make sure that they have him in their squad next season if they sign him.
