Arsenal have been boosted in their hopes of holding off rivals Tottenham Hotspur to sign teen defensive talent William Saliba.
Both clubs are now locked in a battle to land the centre-back from Saint-Etienne after delivering similar €30m bids to the Ligue 1 club.
Saint-Etienne have pressed the brakes on the sale as they look to pause for breath and decide how to proceed.
According to Yahoo Sports France, Saint-Etienne have no preference over which club to sell Saliba to and are hoping to squeeze another €2.5m to €3m out of the final deal; while such a sum is small beer to Premier League sides, it would be a big extra chunk for Les Verts.
However, while Saint-Etienne hold no preference over Saliba's final destination, it is claimed the player does.
Despite Tottenham's entry into the race, Saliba still holds a preference for Arsenal.
The Gunners will be hoping that the will of the player could prove to be decisive in the final battle with Tottenham for the defender's signature.
Whoever Saint-Etienne sell Saliba to, one condition for the club is non-negotiable.
Saliba must return to Saint-Etienne on loan for the forthcoming season as part of any agreement struck.
