Arsenal are facing a major hurdle in tying key defender William Saliba down to a long-term deal at the Emirates Stadium, if recent reports are to be believed. It comes as the Frenchman continues to impress since returning to the club from several loan moves as part of his development.
The 21-year-old has started every Premier League game so far this season and his maturity on and off the ball have been clear for all to see. It's led to comparisons between his impact and that of Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool, with both teams shooting to the top of the table with the defenders in the team.
In a Sky Sports interview, manager Mikel Arteta was complimentary of both Saliba and his centre-back partner Gabriel, saying: "I don't see the centre-back positions as individuals, I think that it is a partnership. For a partnership to succeed there has to be some sort of chemistry between the two [Saliba and Gabriel] and the qualities of those two have to be complimented.
