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Arsenal table second bid for top Unai Emery target… but there’s a catch
ARSENAL have submitted a second bid for French teenager William Saliba but face competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Roma, according to reports in France.
Unai Emery wants to sign the Saint-Etienne centre-back, who played 19 times for the Ligue 1 club last season.
Saliba, 18, is considered one of the hottest defensive prospects in European football and Arsenal had a £22.5m (€25m) bid for the player rejected earlier in the window.
But that has not deterred The Gunners, who have now tabled a second bid, believed to be worth £26.9m (€30m), according to Yahoo Sport France.
The media outlet also report that Arsenal are in a rat race for the defender, however.
Fellow Premier League side Wolves and Roma are also in the hunt for Saliba, they claim.
A deal for Saliba, who can also play right-back, would likely see the young Frenchman loaned back to Saint-Etienne for 2019/20.
Arsenal are ostensibly willing to placate the club’s wish even though Emery is keen to work with new centre-backs next season.
Per BBC Sport, Emery wants to offload Shkodran Mustafi, who was signed for £35m in 2016.
Laurent Koscielny could also leave, with Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Rob Holding the preferred centre-back pairing.
Arsenal have just one signing so far this summer in 18-year-old Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli.
Attention has since turned to defence, where Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney is a target.
Arsenal are considering upping their initial bid for the Scot, who is valued at £25m by The Bhoys.
Arsenal: £40million for Wilfried Zaha is a 'liberty' says pundit
Emery is also keen on Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha and had a £40m bid rejected for the player. The club are expected to make an improved offer.
Zaha reportedly wants to leave Selhurst Park but seemingly responded to talk about his future on Saturday through his Twitter account.
“Whatever happened to speaking facts?" the Ivory Coast international asked.
“It’s sad and annoying how anyone will just open their mouth and speak on things or situations they know absolutely nothing about.”