Reports | Arsenal looking to send William Saliba on loan to OGC Nice
According to the Guardian, Arsenal are looking to send Ā£27 million defender William Saliba on loan to OGC Nice with no option to make the move permanent. The 19-year-old defender will spend the remainder of the current season in France and is yet to make a single appearance for the Gunners.
When Arsenal signed teenage sensation William Saliba after an impressive six months at Saint-Etienne, a lot was expected from the Frenchman. However, while injuries restricted the 19-year-old to just twelve league appearances in his final season with his boyhood club, Saliba has endured a tough first six months in North London, with him not registered in either of Arsenalās Europa League or Premier League squads.Ā
It has seen the defender restricted to only U-23 football, especially after the club failed to secure another loan spell for him over the summer. But things are set to change with the Guardian reporting that the 19-year-old center-back is set to join OGC Nice on loan with the intention of finishing out the season in France.Ā The report has indicated that there is no view at making the move permanent as both Mikel Arteta and the club still believe that the Frenchman has a bright future ahead at Arsenal.
Furthermore, this is a move that the club believe will be good for the teenager who has made only 36 senior career appearances so far. If the move does go through, then Saliba will become the second Arsenal player to leave in January after Sead Kolasniacās loan move to Schalke 04, with the Gunners looking to offload a few more players before the window shuts.
William Saliba is joining Nice on loan until the end of the season. No option to buy as Arsenal see him as a promising talent but the view is he needs more competitive games to get up to the required level.
ā James Olley (@JamesOlley) January 4, 2021