Arsenal have reportedly agreed a transfer fee to sign centre back ,William Saliba from Saint Etienne.
The Gunners will pay a fee of around £26 million to the French club to sign the 18-year-old.
William Saliba featured 16 times during his debut Ligue 1 campaign after breaking into the first-team in late September.
Arsenal, though faced with defensive troubles last season manage to keep just one Premier League clean sheet away from home and are to make Saliba a regular starter under Unai Emery this season.
A season-long loan back to St Etienne could therefore suit all parties.
However, St Etienne president Roland Romeyer has the player in mind for another year at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
If Arsenal do loan the teenager back to St Etienne it could give them extra flexibility in the transfer market this summer.
They may delay paying the majority of the fee until next year, giving them more to spend on other targets.
