Arsenal are reportedly planning to integrate William Saliba into the first team from the 2022-23 campaign onwards.
The 20-year-old is yet to make his first-team debut for the club since arriving in 2019 and has been shipped out on loan three times to Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille.
Saliba established himself as a first-choice centre-back at Nice and has also played a prominent role in Marseille's bright start to the new campaign, which led to Arsenal fans questioning the club's decision to let him leave on loan for a third year running.
The France Under-21 international previously claimed that he was "locked up" in North London, but according to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have no intentions of selling the defender permanently.
Romano adds that the Gunners are "really happy" with Saliba's progress in his homeland and have "100%" trust in him to pull on the red and white next season.
Saliba's only appearances for the North London club so far have been with the Under-23 team, and he has played the full 90 minutes in seven of Marseille's eight Ligue 1 games so far this season.
Ben Knapton
