With the lack of incomings at Arsenal so far this summer, some Arsenal fans are irate over plans to spend some €30m (£26.9m) on a defender who may not even play for them next season.
French publication TF1 report that William Saliba is set to join Arsenal from Saint-Etienne – while it is expected that the teenager will be loaned back to the Ligue 1 side for the 2019/20 season.
But the move has hardly been given widespread approval from these Gunners supporters – with the year-long delay in seeing Saliba in an Arsenal shirt lacking sense to them – in a transfer window that sees Arsenal reportedly financially restricted and presumably in need of defensive reinforcements.
So the frustration of using a large chunk of their transfer budget without seeing the results has left some fans at a loss to explain the logic of Unai Emery and his transfer team.
While some supporters would call the move ‘typical’ of Arsenal to go ahead with, others believe Emery would do well to see him play during his time as manager with few additions to report of so far as Arsenal look to turn around a disappointing start to the Spaniard’s Gunners tenure:
What’s the point in signing him if we gunna loan him back we need players now for this season!! ????????
— Mr Öpoku ? (@Blake_1993) July 8, 2019
I hate the transfer window ???? its frustrating when you are an Arsenal fan, trying to defend that your team are not gonna have a bad season when you got nothing to back it with.
— Justin (@Justin10499953) July 8, 2019
Don’t get why he’s so intent on signing him. Emery probably won’t be here next season!!
— James Mctaggart (@Jimmythehat814) July 8, 2019
No do not bow down to their demands
— Shady Jarvis (@SJ_14_GUNNER) July 8, 2019
I could see him being our only signing with him not even being able to play for us. Would be typical of this club.
— paul doherty (@pauld316) July 8, 2019
It’s weird that Emery would stump for a player that won’t even play for us until after his contract expires (and surely won’t’ be renewed if we don’t get top 4 this season or win something) He needs players for THIS campaign.
— MentyAsher (@MentyAsher) July 8, 2019
We sign a defender but don’t have him for another season. Ok.
— Stephen (@Stefan0vich) July 8, 2019