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Arsenal defender William Saliba is tempted by a return to Marseille on loan again next season, but ‘many parameters will come into play’ for a deal to happen.

That’s according to L’Equipe, who say the defender ‘will leave for London’ this summer but could make a return after that.

Saliba has been on loan with Marseille since the summer, with Arsenal electing to ship him out as he was not part of their plans for this season.

He’s been a key player for Marseille, getting the regular playing time that wasn’t on offer at the Emirates.

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His loan deal is set to expire at the end of the season, and yesterday we covered a report that stated he would be returning to Arsenal, who are planning for him to be in Mikel Arteta’s squad next season.

That report made it clear that the choice was definite, but L’Equipe add a bit of doubt into the mix today.

They say Saliba is set for his last game at Marseille, after which he ‘will leave for London this summer’. The newspaper then questions if he will be returning on loan again next season.

This idea ‘tempts’ the player but only if Marseille were able to qualify for the Champions League.

They also say that ‘many parameters will come into play’, which is a fancy way of saying that they’d have to reach some sort of agreement with Arsenal, who may have their own plans for the player like the report yesterday suggested.

Either way it seems Marseille will look at a way of keeping the defender beyond this summer, and according to journalist Karim Bennan, talks are underway with the Gunners.

“Marseille today, as we speak, don’t have the means to put €30m on Saliba,” he told La Chaîne on L’Équipe, relayed by Top Mercato.
“The ideal for OM, and I think it is currently being negotiated, would be to negotiate a mandatory purchase option above 30 million euros, but at the end of next season.
“A second loan for a second year. This is a situation that is currently being studied at OM. I know (Pablo) Longoria talks a lot with Arsenal about this.”