Arsenal seem to be somewhat stuck over William Saliba, and it’s not a huge surprise.
Saint Etienne want to have their cake and eat it. Not only do their want their transfer record ‘smashed’ (Kurt Zouma to Chelsea for €14m) with a fee of €30m, they also want to keep the defender on loan next season.
L’Equipe report the Ligue 1 club are still pushing for the full €30m, a figure that Arsenal are ‘not willing to pay’.
Talks are still ongoing between the two clubs and this one doesn’t look to be dying just yet. Saliba already has full agreement with the Gunners, according to the claims, and it’s just a case of battling with Saint Etienne to get a reasonable deal.
They need one, because the sale is supposed to fund their summer purchases.
Tottenham interest was claimed last week but that’s largely dropped out of the stories now and doesn’t get a mention from L’Equipe today.
Saliba is a very highly rated defender, yet it feels his club are being somewhat overly optimistic in their approach.
Arsenal have a budget this summer and to ask for €30m and a loan for next season is verging on unreasonable.
This time, it doesn’t just look like the London club penny pinching.
