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William Saliba (Out)

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Artisan

Not Emery's Old Pal
What a great management by the club, first deprive him a chance to play in a final for his team just to save some money on bonus payments, then fail to send him on loan to a team in top league, finally settle on having him take a step down in his career by sending him to a **** league for "experience". I'm sure he must be loving with what great care and patience we've been treating him.
 

berric

Established Member

Player:Trossard
All this seems rather disappointing and underwhelming. We'll see how it pans out down the line. I'm sure people at the club are in constant contact with him trying to ease this period for him however I'm afraid we don't step into another Gnabry situation.
 

tap-in

Nothing Wrong With Me
Well made points. It's not that I think he should ve a regular starter at 19. Hell, who is at the big Premier League clubs as a teenager? Foden? Mount? Greenwood? Saka? Martinelli? Greenwood is probably the closest to being a regular starter.

Loaning him to the 2nd tier is the part in struggling with.

Teenage CB's are a rare thing. I think teenage attackers are more the norm, as your list shows.

If we want him to play then its either a low tier PL club where he may be on the losing side regularly, or a half decent Championship club that has a chance of clean sheets. Tbh I think just playing regularly is the important part for him, and staying in England to adjust to his new home.
 

say yes

forum master baiter
Don’t really get what people are crying about.

Experience is by far the most important attribute in a CB, and this guy needs to be playing every week. Doesn’t make sense for that happen here given the way our squad has developed, so a loan makes sense. He’s still just a kid ffs. And we already have one rookie in defence.

Think the Championship is perfect for him. He’s good enough to play every week there, and they play a ****-tonne of games. Yes it’s a step down technically from Ligue 1, but physically I think it’s the most challenging league in the world, which is perfect for a budding PL defender.

Also gets him settled into the UK. Learning the language and adapting to the culture etc.
 

Tir Na Nog

Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes

Country: Ireland
If people thought Saliba, a kid, was gonna come in and make an instant impact for us that's on them not on Saliba himself, the club or Arteta. It's not Saliba, the club, or Arteta's fault expectations were through the roof.

No CB has ever been ready at 19, barring a very very very few anomalies. It just doesn't happen. Even Gabriel is somewhat an exception to the rule because he's still relatively young. He still too might have a lull period in terms of performances and will make mistakes.

Saliba still has a lot of developing to do, not just in terms of his talent but adjusting to a new country and maturing too. There's still a lot of room for improvement with him. This was always a long term investment.

The bottom line is that he needs to be playing regular football, and we just cannot give that to him and there's no point in him playing the odd EL game every 2/3 weeks. He needs to be playing week in week out, adapting to the more direct style. I know the championship isn't the same as the PL in terms of quality, but it's still incredibly fast paced and most teams are very direct. If he has a good season there it'll really help him in his development. At this stage we don't have many choice. He either goes out and gets experience or he sits on the bench for a season playing mostly PL2 football, that's not gonna do much for him.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Do people actually know if his Mother died or are we just speculating?

Ornstein said about "a close one dying", was it ~5 months ago. No one has confirmed it was the mother, but that has been the rumour.

Death of a "close one" is pretty rough for young people, and not all have been through that even when a bit older, so would not understand how it can affect mentally.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
To all those complaining about the price and thinking it badly hinders our current business.

It's friggin' 6 instalments by the rumours, meaning 5 million euros per year. Doesn't hinder that much.

"According to reliable journalist David Ornstein of the BBC, William Saliba's move to Arsenal is all but complete.

Both clubs have secured a good deal for themselves. Saint-Etienne get a decent transfer fee of €30 million for an 18-year-old and get to keep him for another year, while Arsenal keep their budget intact as they will pay in instalments."

https://tribuna.com/en/arsenal/news...n-arsenal-will-pay-for-saliba-in-instalments/

"The Greens will receive a little less than € 30 million.

As of Wednesday, Butfootballclub revealed that ASSE and Arsenal had reached an agreement for the transfer of William Saliba. Bernard Caiazzo confirms this weekend that the young defender will take over the management of the London club. Tottenham made an offer close to € 30m, higher than Arsenal's ten days ago, but Saint-Etienne leaders gave the Gunners time to line up, Saliba having expressed his preference for the former club. 'Arsène Wenger.

This Saturday, there are only certain details to settle, on the bonuses and the payment terms.

From a source close to the file, the transfer reached € 29 million, bonus included, but the Gunners expressed the wish to pay in six installments, which the managers of Saint-Etienne have apparently ended up accepting. Saliba (18) will sign up for five years. He will remain in Saint-Etienne on loan this season. A sine qua non for his transfer to England."

"Les Verts toucheront un peu moins de 30 M€.

Dès mercredi, Butfootballclub révélait que l'ASSE et Arsenal avaient trouvé un accord pour le transfert de William Saliba. Bernard Caiazzo confirme ce week-end que le jeune défenseur va prendre la direction du club londonien. Tottenham avait formulé une offre proche des 30 M€, supérieure à celle d'Arsenal, il y a dix jours, mais les dirigeants stéphanois ont laissé aux Gunners le temps de s'aligner, Saliba ayant exprimé sa préférence pour l'ancien club d'Arsène Wenger.
Ce samedi, il ne reste plus que certains détails à régler, sur les bonus et les modalités de paiement.

De source proche du dossier, le transfert atteint 29 M€, bonus compris, mais les Gunners ont émis le souhait de payer en six fois, ce que les dirigeants stéphanois ont semble-t-il fini par accepter. Saliba (18 ans) va s'engager pour cinq ans. Il restera à Saint-Etienne en prêt cette saison. Une condition sine qua non à son transfert vers l'Angleterre."

https://www.butfootballclub.fr/ligu...cato-saliba-a-arsenal-les-dessous-de-laccord/
 

Red London

Anti-Simp Culture
Trusted ⭐
Brentford seems a good choice. Local club. Playing the right way, lots of positivity around the club.
I think this is hugely important, we want him to be in the same sort of area Arsenal is. It will be more seamless returning that way, and less likely for him to become disillusioned like Gnabry did going up to Pulis' West Brom :facepalm:
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
I think this is hugely important, we want him to be in the same sort of area Arsenal is. It will be more seamless returning that way, and less likely for him to become disillusioned like Gnabry did going up to Pulis' West Brom :facepalm:

Stoke coming right up!

giphy.gif
 

Gooner2004

New Member
He’s not going to be ready for years yet. The development of a CB at the highest level is pretty late.

The story here isn’t the player or the club, but the fans being unrealistic again.

Surely the fans were right to have high expectations due to the size of the fee and his reputation from France? A fee that high for someone not ready for years strikes me as poor business, especially when we were crying for a centre half last season.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Surely the fans were right to have high expectations due to the size of the fee and his reputation from France? A fee that high for someone not ready for years strikes me as poor business, especially when we were crying for a centre half last season.

That "for years" is GDeep estimation. I'm pretty sure the club estimated that he would start in 1-2 years after the first loan in St. Etienne, but last year's problems pushed that away for a bit.
 

GunnerShy

Well-Known Member
Don’t really get what people are crying about.

Experience is by far the most important attribute in a CB, and this guy needs to be playing every week. Doesn’t make sense for that happen here given the way our squad has developed, so a loan makes sense. He’s still just a kid ffs. And we already have one rookie in defence.

Think the Championship is perfect for him. He’s good enough to play every week there, and they play a ****-tonne of games. Yes it’s a step down technically from Ligue 1, but physically I think it’s the most challenging league in the world, which is perfect for a budding PL defender.

Also gets him settled into the UK. Learning the language and adapting to the culture etc.

I agree with you. I think the Championship is fine. Based in England, learning the language.

Go to a club that plays football is a very challenging league and get the experience.

Not sure which team in the PL would have taken him. Whilst I liked the idea of him going to Fulham because he was in London, I can't imagine it was necessarily for his good.

We will lose at least 3 CBs next season. It's about getting him to a point that he can be a meaningful part of next season's campaign.
 

Rasmi

Negative Nancy

Country: England
When we play with three at the back, one of our three defenders is either Tierney or Kolasinac. They are not CBs. Tierney and Kolasinac are both LBs, but they play as LCBs in this formation. The other two defenders we use are CBs. This is how we still only use two CBs despite playing with three at the back.

Arteta will not use three CBs in our back three because he likes our LCB to push up, spread the pitch, and play as a LB when we have possession. This is why a back three of Holding, Luiz, and Gabriel won't happen. Gabriel despite being left-footed isn't a LB, so we wouldn't be able to attack in the same way.

This is why regardless of whether we play with three or four at the back, we will only play with two CBs. This isn't complicated.

Everyone wanted Saliba to jump into the starting lineup because our defense looked awful all season. Any defender would be a welcomed arrival. However, since Arteta arrived Mustafi has had arguably his best form as an Arsenal player, Holding keeps on improving, and Luiz has become less of a liability. And we also signed Gabriel.

Lots of things can change in a couple of months, and especially when those months include winning the FA Cup, Community Shield, and the summer transfer window.

Regardless of how talented Saliba is he's probably not going to get enough minutes this season for us and that could stunt his development. It makes sense to send him on loan.
It’s not the most Physically challenging league in the world. Not even close. The league is not filled with great athletes or technical players. It’s an even league where anyone can beat anyone. We refused him to play for his hometown in a cup final because we wanted him ready here. The spin people put on acting like this was the plan all along and we were gonna send him on loan for more experience is laughable. If we believed he needed more experience why would we deny him a cup final vs PSG? He will gain very little with this loan. And if it goes bad and he won’t get in their team. His career here will be over
 

dka1

100% Dark Chocolate
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
Definitely fine with the fact that he's not ready yet and if he pans out in the future it'll be worth it.

But I feel we've not handled the situation as well as we could have. Couldn't he have gone back to St. Etienne?

Especially given the loss of his mother and I heard they were interested, that probably would've been a better move into for him rather than the Championship. And it would've helped given his personal circumstances.

Just feels like we're maybe not paying as much attention to the situation as we could but this is an outside view I guess. If he's truly happy and comfortable going on loan to the league below then cool.

But if we mess this up and alienate him because we couldn't be as*ed to get him a proper loan to a suitable destination that would be disappointing.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
What a great management by the club, first deprive him a chance to play in a final for his team just to save some money on bonus payments, then fail to send him on loan to a team in top league, finally settle on having him take a step down in his career by sending him to a **** league for "experience". I'm sure he must be loving with what great care and patience we've been treating him.

Haha, great that our own fans blame our club for not throwing 2,5 million euros away for nothing in this covid climate. That money alone got us Runarsson.

While it was St. Etienne who didn't accept to let go of the clause. Why not rather blame the other team who needed the player and was willing to give us nothing for using our player?

Rather we would have needed to pay 2,5 million for him playing one game and risking injury. :lol:
 

GunnerBP

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
It’s not the most Physically challenging league in the world. Not even close. The league is not filled with great athletes or technical players. It’s an even league where anyone can beat anyone. We refused him to play for his hometown in a cup final because we wanted him ready here. The spin people put on acting like this was the plan all along and we were gonna send him on loan for more experience is laughable. If we believed he needed more experience why would we deny him a cup final vs PSG? He will gain very little with this loan. And if it goes bad and he won’t get in their team. His career here will be over

We didn't let him play in the Cup final because that match would have triggered another payment to St. Etienne. Since we are in the middle of a pandemic it did not make much sense to let Saliba play one more match for St. Etienne and risk getting injured -- he already had injuries this season -- just so that we can pay St. Etienne money that we need.

We spent a while negotiating with them over the fee, and in the end, St. Etienne might have even agreed to wave the fee, but it was too late. It made more sense to keep him with the team and evaluate him.

Based on that evaluation, it looks like Arteta has decided to send him on loan. Again this isn't complicated.
 
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