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Arsenal expected to hold talks with St Étienne today for William Saliba

Manu Lonjon, close to St Étienne, reports that the Ligue 1 club expect Arsenal to hold discussions with them today about the possible transfer of 18-year-old central defender William Saliba.

Les Verts’ initial conditions for a deal are a €30m fee plus that the Frenchman is loaned back to ASSE for the entirety of the 2019/20 campaign.

L’Équipe claim although Arsenal remain William Saliba’s preferred destination, having agreed a provisional contract with the Gunners last week, North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur intend to activate talks to sign the French youth international too.

Spurs are in engaged in active discussions with the player’s entourage and are fairly confident that they too can agree personal terms with Saliba.

If they manage that, then they will have to agree a deal with St Étienne – Daniel Levy has already shown himself to be unafraid of making big bids for players this summer, having notably put more than €50m on the table to sign midfielder Giovani Lo Celso from Real Betis.

AS Roma are also drifting in the background.