Tottenham are ready to hijack Arsenal’s deal for young defender William Saliba, with the Gunners unwilling to pay a hefty fee up front this summer.

Arsenal were close to finalising a deal with Saint Etienne, though have been in talks over a payment structure weighted towards next summer with the French side adamant that the 18-year-old returns on loan for the 2019-20 season following any deal.

A small payment this summer would ensure that Unai Emery keeps the majority of his £40million transfer kitty to spend ahead of the new season while also landing an exciting prospect in a year’s time.

Tottenham, however, have more money to spend this summer thanks to their run to the Champions League final, as well as not signing any players for the two windows previous to this one.

Spurs are now ready to blow Arsenal out of the water with an upfront offer to prise the highly-rated defender away from their fierce rivals, a day after club captain Laurent Koscielny attempted to force his way out of the club by refusing to travel on the pre-season tour of the United States.

Arsenal squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 27 show all Arsenal squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 1/27 Here is the current injuries and suspensions status of Arsenal's first-team squad... Getty Images 2/27 Bernd Leno Squad Number: 1



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 3/27 Hector Bellerin Squad Number: 2



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 4/27 Kieran Tierney Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 5/27 Sokratis Papastathopoulos Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 6/27 Dani Ceballos Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 15/07/2019 Getty Images 7/27 Alexandre Lacazette Squad Number: 9



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 8/27 Mesut Ozil Squad Number: 10



Condition: FIt



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images 9/27 Lucas Torreira Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 10/27 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Squad Number: 14



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 11/27 Ainsley Maitland-Niles Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 12/27 Rob Holding Squad Number: 16



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 13/27 Cedric Soares Squad Number: 17



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 14/27 Nicolas Pepe Squad Number: 19



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 15/27 Shkodran Mustafi Squad Number: 20



Condition: Thigh injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images 16/27 Calum Chambers Squad Number: 21



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 17/27 Pablo Mari Squad Number: 22



Condition: Ankle injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 18/27 David Luiz Squad Number: 23



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 AP 19/27 Reiss Nelson Squad Number: 24



Condition: Groin injury (doubt)



Contract expires: Contracted Getty Images 20/27 Emiliano Martinez Squad Number: 26



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 21/27 Joe Willock Squad Number: 28



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: Contracted Getty Images 22/27 Eddie Nketiah Squad Number: 30



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 23/27 Matteo Guendouzi Squad Number: 29



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 24/27 Sead Kolasinac Squad Number: 31



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 25/27 Granit Xhaka Squad Number: 34



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 26/27 Gabriel Martinelli Squad Number: 35



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 REUTERS 27/27 Konstantinos Mavropanos Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit (on loan to Nuremberg)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 1/27 Here is the current injuries and suspensions status of Arsenal's first-team squad... Getty Images 2/27 Bernd Leno Squad Number: 1



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 3/27 Hector Bellerin Squad Number: 2



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 4/27 Kieran Tierney Squad Number: 3



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 5/27 Sokratis Papastathopoulos Squad Number: 5



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 6/27 Dani Ceballos Squad Number: 8



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 15/07/2019 Getty Images 7/27 Alexandre Lacazette Squad Number: 9



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 8/27 Mesut Ozil Squad Number: 10



Condition: FIt



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images 9/27 Lucas Torreira Squad Number: 11



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 10/27 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Squad Number: 14



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 11/27 Ainsley Maitland-Niles Squad Number: 15



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 12/27 Rob Holding Squad Number: 16



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 13/27 Cedric Soares Squad Number: 17



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 14/27 Nicolas Pepe Squad Number: 19



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 15/27 Shkodran Mustafi Squad Number: 20



Condition: Thigh injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images 16/27 Calum Chambers Squad Number: 21



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 17/27 Pablo Mari Squad Number: 22



Condition: Ankle injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 18/27 David Luiz Squad Number: 23



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 AP 19/27 Reiss Nelson Squad Number: 24



Condition: Groin injury (doubt)



Contract expires: Contracted Getty Images 20/27 Emiliano Martinez Squad Number: 26



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 21/27 Joe Willock Squad Number: 28



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: Contracted Getty Images 22/27 Eddie Nketiah Squad Number: 30



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 23/27 Matteo Guendouzi Squad Number: 29



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 24/27 Sead Kolasinac Squad Number: 31



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Arsenal FC via Getty Images 25/27 Granit Xhaka Squad Number: 34



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Liverpool FC via Getty Images 26/27 Gabriel Martinelli Squad Number: 35



Condition: Knee injury (ruled out)



Contract expires: 30/06/2024 REUTERS 27/27 Konstantinos Mavropanos Squad Number: 27



Condition: Fit (on loan to Nuremberg)



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Tottenham have already signed midfielder Tanguay Ndombele and Leeds youngster Jack Clarke this summer, with the latter returning to Elland Road on a season long loan.

With Toby Alderweireld - who can leave north London for £25million before the final two weeks of the window - edging towards an exit and Jan Vertonghen having a contract until next season, Mauricio Pochettino is likely to need defensive reinforcements next summer.