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What's the story?
After weeks of speculation linking him with a move to North London, Arsenal have finally completed a move for Saint-Etienne's 18-year-old defender William Saliba, fending off late interest from local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The centre-back will return to Saint-Etienne on loan for the next season to get more games under his belt, before returning to the Emirates next summer onwards.
In case you didn't know...
Arsenal were in dire need of defensive reinforcements because of their shortcomings at the back last season, with both fans and pundits expecting an influx of quality defenders who would shore up their defence.
With Saliba's move to the Emirates looking inevitable, there was late interest from Gunners' local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and rumours of a transfer hijack started to surface.
Saliba burst onto the scene last season, transitioning from St. Etienne's academy setup to the first team, making 16 appearances for Les Verts last season. He has also represented France at the U-20 stage.
The heart of the matter
The Gunners today announce the signing of the French teenager. This was their second announcement of the day, having confirmed the loan move of Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid earlier today.
Head coach Unai Emery had the following to say on Saliba's signing:
“We’re delighted William is joining us. Many teams wanted him but he decided he wanted to come to us and be part of our future. He will stay in France next season for more experience and then we look forward to him joining our group.”
Speaking about how he made the choice between Arsenal and Tottenham:
"Well, the history, the badge... since I was little, I've been watching Arsenal play in the Champions League and so on, and there are a lot of French players who have come through here. So that really helped me to make my mind up."
What's next?
Although Saliba will be loaned back for the next season, the Gunners have secured the services of one of the brightest talents in world football for years to come.
Arsenal will face Lyon in the Emirates Cup final on Sunday.
