William Saliba linked with surprise Arsenal Under-21 move

William Saliba, the French-Cameroonian centre-back currently at Arsenal, has been linked with a move to Arsenal Under-21 in Premier League 2.

The reported switch would see the 25-year-old move from Arsenal’s Premier League squad to the club’s Under-21 side. Saliba has not made an appearance for Arsenal during the 2026-27 season, despite the club having played 10 league matches, four Champions League games, two EFL Cup fixtures and the Community Shield.

He did feature six times for France at the 2026 World Cup, starting in 75% of the available matches and playing 67% of the tournament’s minutes.

Saliba joined Arsenal from Saint-Etienne for €30m in July 2019 and spent periods on loan at Nice and Marseille before returning to the Premier League. He helped Arsenal win the English title in the 2025-26 season and has a market value of €100m.

The defender remains under contract at Arsenal until 30 June 2030, meaning any move to the Under-21 team would not represent the end of his current agreement.