William Saliba wants Arsenal exit unless he’s guaranteed starting spot

The 21-year-old defender has been out on loan the last three years and has been promised a chance of making the French World Cup squad if he continues to play regularly

William Saliba could be headed for the Arsenal exit door (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Atletico Madrid and Olympique Marseille are looking to sign William Saliba on a permanent deal, with the player set to ask for a permanent transfer this summer if he is not guaranteed a starting place at Arsenal.

The 21-year-old has been promised a chance of making the French World Cup squad if he continues to play regularly, having excelled during a loan spell at OM. Saliba has returned to Arsenal for this summer's pre-season but is eager to continue development rather than sit on the bench.

That will naturally depend on his impact on pre-season but if the player finds himself restricted to the sidelines at the start of the season, he will push for a move in the last two weeks of the window, with both Atletico and OM waiting. They would face far greater competition, however, if he was made available.

Saliba has already indicated he is unlikely to extend his Arsenal contract if he doesn't play, with just two years left.

While the player's natural talent is highly rated, there has been some debate within the club over whether he is quite ready for the jump to first-team football in the Premier League, which is why he went on loan. Mikel Arteta is keen to assess his development in this pre-season.