How to assemble a Champions League-worthy squad on a shoestring budget? Well, if you’re Olympique de Marseille, you simply get on the phone to Arsenal and see if they’re willing to let any of their under-used stars hop out on a season-long loan to France!Reiss Nelson & William Saliba among the Arsenal players enjoying themselves at Universal Studios theme park in Orlando yesterday. 😅 #afc pic.twitter.com/HIEP36YNHo— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 23, 2022 You can’t blame Les Marseilles for trying to get William Saliba back. The promising Frenchman wasn’t given playing time in London, and he jumped on the opportunity to spend the previous campaign at Stade Velodrome, and it proved to be a good decision for everyone involved: Saliba got playing time, Marseille got an excellent defender to propel them to a second-place finish in Ligue 1. In the meantime, Saliba returned to Arsenal and produced some eye-catching displays in the Gunners’ pre-season friendlies, attracting some high praise from coach Mikel Arteta. But the 21-year-old centre-back is facing a dilemma. Is it better to return to the Emirates and hope for playing time this time around or maybe fulfil Marseille’s wish by going back there on another loan, playing Champions League football and boosting chances of a World Cup call-up?##NAJAVA_MECA_6533167##Reports in France say that Marseille are keeping their finger on the pulse of Saliba’s situation at Arsenal, backing up reports earlier this week that Marseille president Pablo Longoria had flown into London for talks with the young defender’s agent. Whether Arteta and his transfer supremo Edu will allow Saliba to leave is another matter, though.Another defender on Marseille’s radar is Portugues left-back Nuno Tavares. The 22-year-old’s chances to play will be heavily reduced after the arrival of another left-sided player Olexandr Zinchenko, so the youngster accepted that he should leave and get some playing time. After a proposed move to Atalanta in Serie A fell through, OM emerged as favourites to land the strong defender.🚨 Nuno Tavares is on the verge of completing a loan deal to Marseille. Discussions are at an advanced stage. (Source: @Daily_Express) pic.twitter.com/7zKBTcAoZU— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) July 28, 2022 Tavares endured a mixed opening season in north London, showing off his blistering pace in an attacking full-back role, before his defensive frailties were exposed by some of the bigger sides, and I can fully support the idea of sending him out on loan where he can hopefully gain further composure and solidify his defensive abilities.Should Tavares make the switch to Marseille, he would be playing alongside his former Arsenal teammates Sead Kolasinac and Matteo Ghendouzi. And maybe that guy Saliba.
