William Saliba reveals what he ‘always’ thought when Arteta didn’t give him a chance at Arsenal
In recent times, William Saliba has become a regular player on Arsenal’s team, but it wasn’t always the case.
He was a young French player who joined the club in 2019 and was loaned back to Saint-Etienne.
Despite fans expecting him to play for Arsenal the next season, coach Mikel Arteta felt he wasn’t prepared and kept him away from the team for six months.
Saliba was then loaned out to Nice during the second half of the 2020/21 season, and the following season he played for Marseille.
Despite being considered a highly talented player, William Saliba did not receive any opportunities to play for Arsenal in his first three years at the club, which led to speculation about his future.
Some believed that his successful loan spell at Marseille would mean he wouldn’t return to Arsenal. However, he did come back, and has proven himself to be one of the top defenders in the Premier League.
Saliba has expressed his perspective on the challenging time, and it appears that his sentiments differ from the popular belief at that time. Despite what many people thought, the French player did not consider departing from Arsenal.
According to Saliba, he consistently reminded himself that he desired to compete for Arsenal.
Speaking to Arsenal.com about his loan spells, Saliba said: “It helped me a lot because when you are a young player you have to play to improve, so that’s why I took the chance to improve, make mistakes and grow up as well. It was a good experience for me, and I came back better.
“I didn’t play one single game here so I always thought about that.
“I couldn’t leave this amazing club without playing so I always had it in my head to come back and play.”
Despite the availability of numerous potential suitors, Saliba opted to return to Arsenal last summer and compete for a position in the team. This decision has proven to be highly beneficial for all parties involved.
In his first season in English football, the 21-year-old has emerged as one of the top defenders in the Premier League, surpassing the performance of many experienced center-backs in the country.
As a result, Arsenal is now looking to secure Saliba’s future at the club by offering him a new contract. Based on his recent comments, it appears that he has a strong desire to remain with the team, which is excellent news for the fans.
William Saliba reveals what he ‘always’ thought when Arteta didn’t give him a chance at Arsenal