William Saliba has been called up for the Olympics by France, raising further questions about the impact on his future with Arsenal.

William Saliba looks on during the French L1 football match between Nice and Bordeaux at the "Allianz Riviera" stadium in Nice, on January 17, 2021. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)
William Saliba looks on during the French L1 football match between Nice and Bordeaux at the “Allianz Riviera” stadium in Nice, on January 17, 2021. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)

France have now announced their squad for the Toyko Olympics this summer, and William Saliba is among the players named. With Arsenal also closing in on a deal for Ben White, speculation around Saliba’s future is growing.

Before the Olympics news, Goal reported that Arsenal remained insistent that Saliba is part of the club’s plans and will be given a chance in the squad in pre-season. That was consistent with reports from earlier in the summer.

But Goal add that Saliba is unsure of exactly where he stands, and it could be that he is sent out on loan again. Now that the opportunity to feature in pre-season is off the table, that only seems even more likely.

David Ornstein writes for The Athletic that Arsenal haven’t made any final decisions on Saliba, but it is ‘most probable’ he’d go out on loan if White arrives.

Football.London report that Saliba is ‘assessing his options’ in one article, and claim he’s likely to go out on loan in another. They even suggest a sale could still be on the cards.

Pre-season training kicks off on July 7th, and we’ve put together a schedule of Arsenal’s plans for the month of preparation. But it looks like Saliba won’t play any part in those plans ahead of the new season now.