Mikel Arteta has already made Saliba decision as David Luiz exit raises Arsenal issue

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Arsenal are set to let David Luiz leave the club at the end of the season, with the Gunners mutually agreeing with the centre-back for him to leave when his contract expires. William Saliba is expected to be the next man up for Arsenal, and Mikel Arteta has already decided what he’ll do with the youngster this summer.

Saliba has a difficult future ahead of him at the Emirates.

The Frenchman originally signed in 2019, but is yet to play a league game for the club.

After spending his first year as an Arsenal player out on loan at Saint-Etienne, Arteta decided he wouldn’t play any role this season.

He was exiled from the first team and loaned to OGC Nice in the January transfer window in an attempt to reignite his career.

And that loan has been a success, with Saliba playing 20 times across all competitions for the French side.

He coasted through his first ten games with Nice without being dribbled past once, and has looked impressive during his run in the first-team.

With Luiz set to leave Arsenal, Saliba’s future has been called into question, with fans eager to see if he will be given a chance in England.

Saliba didn’t bite his tongue when talking about Arteta earlier in the year, and criticised the Gunners boss’ decision to keep him sidelined.

But reports suggest Arteta plans to give him a chance to prove himself this summer.

CBS Sports claims the Arsenal boss wants to see his qualities up close during pre-season before making a final decision over whether to include him in the Premier League squad.

Those reports back up what Arteta said earlier this year when he expressed Saliba would be involved in some way this summer.

Speaking in February, he said: “He will come back for pre-season and he will be with us.

“Hopefully he will come back after playing a number of games and his performance raising and his development progressing in the right way. That’s why we made that decision.

“I know that sometimes it’s difficult to explain or understand after the money that the club has spent trying to bring him in, to send him on loan.”

Saliba has continued to play regularly for Nice, and has started 18 of 20 league games since he’s been at the club.

Arteta was eager for Saliba to continue playing consecutively during his time in France, and it seems he’s got his wish.

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