Sol Campbell fears Arsenal star could leave if Andrea Berta bungles his first transfer window
Sol Campbell has warne Arsenal that a poor summer of recruitment could tempt defensive linchpin William Saliba to seek a move elsewhere.
Campbell, himself, is no stranger to running down a เล่น UFABET ผ่านมือถือ สะดวกทุกที่ ทุกเวลา contract to keep his options open having famously move across north London on a free transfer to join Arsenal from arch-rivals Tottenham in 2001.
But the Englishman now fears that his former club could suffer a similar fate with Saliba, who has blossome into one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs having arrive at the Emirates as a raw 18-year-old.
Alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, the Frenchman has become a stalwart of Mikel Arteta’s side and has misse just two league games so far this season.
But Saliba, now entering his prime, is only under contract at Arsenal until the summer of 2027, with murmurings that Real Madrid have ambitions of one day bringing the 24-year-old to the Bernabeu.
Only last month, Saliba reaffirme his ‘love’ for playing in north London, but admitte he was in no rush to sit down and discuss terms on an extension to his current deal.
And Campbell reckons that the Frenchman may well be waiting to see if his own personal ambitions are matche by the club this summer before extending his stay at the Emirates.
‘Where Arsenal are right now, and with where they want to get to, they need to try and pin him down to a new deal sooner rather than later. That’s key,’ Campbell ahead of his appearance at Big Ticket Giveaway at Potters Field on Saturday.
‘Saliba could well be keeping his options open and waiting to see what players the club bring in in the summer. I think that’s it, really.
‘He’ll assess the type of players that Arsenal bring in and hopefully think, ‘Right, I’ve got some help now up front and in other places’ and be happy to sign a deal.
‘But that’s on Arsenal to make that happen. That’s how you show players and convince them to stay. Watch what we do in the window and then come back and sign.
‘So that’s hopefully what they will do, flex their muscles in the transfer market and prove to him that this is the club to be at.’
In that sense, Arsenal’s impending summer window could take on adde importance for Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta as they look to find the missing piece in a team which appears destine to finish second for a third successive season.
The club have made no bones about their desire to recruit a natural goalscorer to lead the line, with Alexander Isak, Victor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko just three of the names moote as potential targets.
But Campbell believes Berta will have to work quickly in his new environment to help Arsenal land that marquee signing ahead of a host of other top clubs who are also in the market for a goalscoring number nine.