SAGNA MAKES SALIBA PREDICTION AHEAD OF LIKELY RETURN
William Saliba is likely to return to Arsenal in the summer following a successful loan spell at Marseille Bacary Sagna insists there is no rift in the relationship between William Saliba and Mikel Arteta and is confident his compatriot will thrive at Arsenal next season.
Saliba joined the Gunners from Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2019 for £30million but is yet to make his competitive debut for the north London club. Signed by the previous regime, Saliba appeared to have been deemed surplus to requirements by Arteta when he sanctioned his departure in the summer and spent £50million on another young centre-half in the shape of Ben White. (more…)
SAGNA TENDERS A TRANSFER ADVICE TO FORMER SIDE ARSENAL
English Premier League club Arsenal are still in the hunt for a top striker this summer and they have been making a list of options to choose from. Their former player Bacary Sagna has urged them to take their time in their hunt for a new top signing instead of rushing things. Sagna has urged the Gunners to target a striker in the summer who can provide a ‘focal point’ up front like former Gunners centre-forward Olivier Giroud.
Mikel Arteta is short on options in the striking department following the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January transfer window. The north London club were interested in signing Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina last month, but the 22-year-old ended up joining Juventus. Given the contracts of both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are both due to expire at the end of the season, the Gunners look set to bolster their options up front in the next transfer window. (more…)
SAGNA BACKS ARTETA’S AUBAMEYANG DECISION
Former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna has revealed what he thinks about his former side Arsenal selling star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January winter transfer window. The striker was allowed to join BRcelija before the transfer deadline day and it caused quite a stir among Arsenal fans, with some questioning the club’s decision to do that, while others backed tothe decision.
Sagna has backed Arsenal’s ‘strong’ decision to let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave the club in January. The Gabon international was stripped of the captaincy in December for his latest disciplinary breach, and didn’t play again for the Gunners after losing the armband. In the final stages of the January transfer window, Aubameyang’s contract was terminated by mutual consent, which later allowed him to later join Barcelona on a free transfer.
Following the 32-year-old’s exit, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are the only senior, recognised strikers left in Mikel Arteta’s squad until the end of the campaign. Although Sagna conceded that the current centre-forward situation isn’t ‘ideal’, the ex-Gunners right-back feels his former club made a ‘strong statement’ by parting company with Aubameyang.
Sagna added that Arteta selling Aubameyang meant that he showed how commanding he can be in the dressing room, how he can make decisions without worrying about repercussions, especially if they have to do with improving anything at the club.
Aubameyang has hit the ground running in Barcelona though, after netting a couple of goals so far, including a hat-trick in his last game for the Blaugrana. But, of course, the Gunners are expected to sign a replacement for him this summer or their too four chances will take a major blow.