William Saliba hopes Arsenal will NOT recall him from Marseille loan transfer after earning first France call-up
Arsenal star William Saliba has declared his wants to extend his stay with Marseille.
The French defender, a £27million Gunners buy in 2019, is currently on a season-long loan with the Ligue 1 club.
Saliba, 20, has shone to help Marseille go second in the table and has been rewarded with a maiden call-up to France’s senior squad.
The centre-back is under contract at the Emirates until 2024 but has yet to play a competitive game for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Saliba has now revealed he will hold showdown talks in two months’ time about staying at the Stade Velodrome.
He said: “I’ve never hidden the fact that I feel good here at Marseille.
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“I don’t know what my future will hold. There are two months of the season to go.
“The main things are to qualify for the Champions League, and go as far as we can in the Conference League.
“I think there will then be discussions between Arsenal and Marseille at the end of May or beginning of June, and we will then make a decision.
“But it would not be a bad idea for me to continue here – in fact quite the opposite.
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“I know the city, my teammates and the coach. But it is not down to me alone.”
Marseille president Pablo Longoria said earlier this month that he hopes to keep hold of Saliba.
The defender told RMC: “We will see how things go. Arsenal have to give their consent.
“Their people have sent me messages about me being called up for France. It has been a pleasure to read them.”
Saliba left Arsenal for loan spells with former club Saint-Etienne and Nice before departing for Marseille last summer.
The Paris-born defender has since made 40 appearances for the Velodrome club.
He previously amassed just a handful of Under-23 and friendly appearances for Arsenal.