Soccer-Arsenal defender Saliba joins Nice on loan for rest of season

Arsenal have loaned centre back William Saliba to French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice on loan for the rest of the season in a bid to give him more playing time, the Premier League club announced on Monday. Saliba, who was signed by Arsenal in July 2019 for about 27 million pounds ($36.59 million), spent last season on loan at St Etienne and has yet to make his debut for the Premier League club, with the 19-year-old only playing for the Under-21 side.

The France youth international was also left out of the club's Europa League squad for the group stage. "William experienced a very challenging time last year, with his playing time limited by injury and the early ending of the Ligue 1 season due to the pandemic," Arsenal's technical director Edu said.

"So together with William, we have decided that spending the rest of the season on loan with Nice is the best way for him to develop." Nice are 12th in the standings after 16 games and return from the league's winter break with a game against Brest on Wednesday.

($1 = 0.7380 pounds)