Saint-Etienne boss Claude Puel has suggested that 'short-term' thinking from defender William Saliba led to him joining Arsenal.
The 19-year-old completed a £27m move, signing a five-year deal at the Emirates Stadium, last summer before being loaned back to the French club for the 2019/20 campaign.
Saliba returned to north London this summer with hopes of breaking into the first team, but he is yet to play a game for Mikel Arteta's side and has now been left out of their squad for the Europa League.
"He wasn’t the only one that wasn’t in the squad," explained Arteta.
"It was a really difficult decision for me to make because to leave players out of the squad at that level where they know they can’t get involved is really tough.
"I don’t like it at all but the decision had to be made because we have a limit on foreign players and unfortunately we have to make a decision."
But Puel has responded to Arteta's comments, saying that he believed finances played a part in the transfer that may not prove to be the best move for his career.
“It was short-term [thinking], even for the kids," said Puel.
“ A superb player like William, to whom I wish the best, has not even made it to Arsenal’s Europa League squad.
“Where is the logic, if not financial?” he added.
Saliba had been linked with a loan return to France this summer, with the defender keen due to personal reasons, but it has since been confirmed by Arteta himself that he will stay in north London.
