WILLIAM SALIBA has arrived in Marseille ahead of his season-long loan switch to the Ligue 1 side from Arsenal.
The 20-year-old‘s deal to join the French outfit is expected to be announced imminently with Mikel Arteta keen for the centre-back to play regular first-team football.
Despite arriving in 2019 for £27million, Saliba is yet to make his debut for the Gunners as he prepares for his third loan spell away from the Emirates.
He was instantly sent back on loan to Saint-Etienne for the 2019-20 campaign, before spending the second half of the 2020-21 season at Nice.
And he will now be looking to impress at Marseille where he will link-up with Matteo Guendouzi at the Stade Velodrome.
A Marseille fan has posted a picture of him with Saliba on Twitter where the France youth international posed with a club scarf after touching down in the city.
Despite Marseille keen to have an option to buy clause in his contract, it is understood that Arsenal rejected the proposal.
Arteta still believes that the youngster has a role to play in North London, where he is contracted to until 2024.
However there were no discussions with Arsenal about Saliba extending his stay before he was shipped off yet again.
With Arsenal closing in on the £50m signing of Ben White from Brighton, Saliba’s game time would have been limited if he had remained in England.
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Newcastle were keen to keep the player in the Premier League, but Saliba rejected their interest to instead remain in his homeland.
Saliba is not expected to be the last defender to depart the Emirates this summer with Hector Bellerin believed to be eyeing up a fresh challenge.
The Spanish right-back has reportedly told Arsenal of his desire to leave after ten years spent at the club.
Inter Milan remain keen to bring him to the San Siro to replace Achraf Hakimi, who was sold to Paris Saint-Germain.
