Arsenal could reportedly reject Thierry Henry’s request to select William Saliba for France for the 2024 Olympics this summer thanks to a unique rule.
The Gunners’ legend will lead Les Bleus later this year with France going big on their football squad with the Olympics being held in Paris to mark 100 years of the games.
And France have some huge plans for their team, with Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann set to be named as the three over U-23 players, with Saliba also in line to be selected.
Arsenal could reject Thierry Henry’s request due to unique rule
Yet according to the Mirror, Arsenal could now reject Henry’s request to select Saliba, with the north London side having that power given that the Olympics is a tournament that isn’t associated with FIFA.
As per the report, there could be some temptation from Saliba to compete in France this summer given how important winning an Olympic gold medal on home soil could be for the Paris-born defender.
However, with Saliba expected to be named in Didier Deschamps’ squad for the 2024 Euros, Arsenal might see it as a wise idea to prohibit the defender from also competing in the Olympics.
Moreover, given that the games this summer in Paris run into Arsenal’s pre-season, there’s a real chance that the north London side will have to reject Henry’s request to select Saliba given how important this summer will be for the Gunners.
William Saliba could still be tempted to play for France at the Olympics
The Olympics is something that has become an afterthought for most professionals, with few players stating that their dream is to one day win gold for their nation.
Yet given the context of the competition this summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Saliba as well as a number of French players state their desire to compete to win gold on home soil later this summer.
Should the defender make such a statement, Arsenal could have a big problem on their hands, though Saliba being managed by Henry could give the Gunners insurance that the 22-year-old won’t be overworked.
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