“Well, it was important first of all because I wanted to prove myself for another year at Saint-Etienne, before I come to try and establish myself here at Arsenal. This is a big club, and when you come here, you need to be ready. So I’m going to try and have a great season with the club that developed me in order to be ready for Arsenal.”

This is the second deal announced in a matter of hours, with Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos joining Arsenal on loan for the season.

The Saliba deal presents a win-win situation for all parties involved. Saint-Etienne will not have to scour for a replacement, not for another season. Saliba will not have to forego his regular game time and will have another season to get some more experience under his belt before laying a claim for a spot in the Arsenal first-team setup.

Arsenal, on the other hand, seem to have secured the future services of a talented defender that looks like he possesses all the necessary tools to succeed at the highest level of club football in the years to come.