William Saliba would be open to joining Newcastle United on loan for the 2021/22 season, according to Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder.
The lowdown
Arsenal paid £27m to sign the Frenchman in 2019 but loaned him straight back to Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne. The 20-year-old then spent the first half of the 2020/21 campaign with the Gunners’ youth teams before a temporary switch to Nice in January.
He played 20 Ligue 1 games for the club, averaging 1.9 successful aerial duels, 1.3 interceptions and four clearances per match (via WhoScored).
Saliba has been tipped to enjoy a successful career in England by one-time Saint-Etienne team-mate and former Newcastle ace Yohan Cabaye, who said that the young defender was ‘like a big man’ and that the ‘future looks bright’ for him.
The latest
Ryder reported for Chronicle Live that Newcastle have been monitoring Saliba, now valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt, for 18 months.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would not stand in his way if a loan bid arrives from St James’ Park, while the player himself would be keen on a chance to leave the Emirates Stadium and prove his worth in the Premier League.
As a result, this may be a ‘quick and easy deal’ for the Magpies to do, as Ryder tweeted.
The verdict
Saliba’s performance levels in France have actually merited a chance at Arsenal, but Newcastle would be more than happy to reap the rewards of the Gunners’ hesitancy, and this could be a very clever piece of business.
The club’s resources are said to be limited this summer but, with a shrewd approach, they can still enhance their squad significantly.
In other news, Newcastle have also been linked with an Arsenal forward.
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