Report: Arsenal star willing to take huge pay cut to join French club on loan

French website Foot-Sur7 have reported that William Saliba is desperate to leave Arsenal and return to St. Etienne on loan in the January transfer window – and is willing to take a huge pay cut in order to do so.

Saliba, 19, joined Arsenal for a hefty fee of £27million in the summer of 2019, before immediately returning to St. Etienne. However, injury prevented him from featuring on a regular basis last season – while Mikel Arteta replaced Unai Emery.

He has since returned to Arsenal and fans had expected Saliba to make an impression. Fast forward until now, and Saliba is yet to make his debut for the Gunners – instead playing five times for Arsenal’s Under-23 side in Premier League 2.

Spotrac claim Saliba is earning £40,000 a week, but the latest report claims Saliba is willing to take a pay cut of £90,000 a month – or £22,500 a week, more than half his wage – in order to allow St. Etienne to be able to afford his return on loan.

(Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

TBR’s view – Arsenal should subsidise his loan move

It is clear Saliba needs a loan. Arsenal tried to get him out on a temporary basis towards the end of the domestic summer window, but the France Under-20 star decided against a move to Championship clubs – with Brentford linked.

But the Gunners are now in danger of seeing what is a player with enormous potential, begin to rot in the reserves. Having tasted first-team football 36 times with St. Etienne, he needs senior football and a loan to St. Etienne needs to occur.

(Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)