Mikel Arteta believes William Saliba is still not ready to make his first-team bow for Arsenal this season but remains undecided if the French defender will go out on loan in January.
Saliba’s only competitive performances this season for the Gunners have been in the Papa John’s Trophy, with the 19-year-old sent off in the 89th minute against AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night after starting the match.
Saliba has been playing consistently at under-23 level in the PL2, but supporters grow restless as to when he’ll be in action for Arteta’s side having arrived for £27 million from St Etienne in July.
"Whenever we have the spaces and we believe that he's ready to play with us," Arteta told football.london, in response to when Saliba could make his senior debut.
"To be fair, he's made massive improvements in the last few months and it's been a really tricky situation for him.
"As I mentioned before, [we have] designed a pathway for him and there were a lot of things that happened to him in his personal life and professionally as well.
"Now we've made some steps forwards, he's working really hard and played for the under-21s again. That was a good game because Martinelli finally came back for 45 minutes, so I think it was a really positive day for us in terms of that."
Arsenal tried, and failed, to find the France Under-20 international a suitable loan club towards the end of the extended summer window and common sense dictates that if he’s not playing for the first team, his development would be better served elsewhere on a temporary basis.
St Etienne are one of several Ligue 1 clubs who would happily sign him for the remainder of the 2020/21 season, while there is also Championship interest.
However, Arteta is yet to make a decision on whether Saliba will spend the rest of the campaign under his watch at London Colney or elsewhere.
"It's something that we are discussing at the moment, the best thing for us to do. It will be decided soon," Arteta added.
