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William Saliba will reportedly ask to leave if Mikel Arteta cannot assure him of a spot in the Arsenal starting lineup.
THE LOWDOWN: BOLD REQUEST MADE
William Saliba is yet to play a competitive minute of football for Arsenal, having spent the last three seasons out on loan from the club. In that time, he has gained much experience and has seemingly improved on his game, having excelled in the Ligue 1.
In the 2021/22 campaign, the Frenchman enjoyed a fruitful season-long loan at Marseille and proved to be one of the standout defensive names in the French top flight. He was an ever-constant in the Marseille lineup, helping them to 20 clean sheets across his 52 total appearances for the club. Averaging 1.3 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and 2.2 clearances per game, he was named the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year.
Having excelled in yet another loan spell, the 21-year-old feels he has done enough to be named in Arsenal’s starting lineup. Already with a call-up, the youngster is eyeing a World Cup spot with France and has been told he has a good chance, should he continue to play regular football. Saliba has returned to Arsenal for this summer’s pre-season but is now keen on first-team football at the Emirates rather than being a squad player.
THE LATEST: SALIBA ALREADY HAS SUITORS
As per a report from The Independent, William Saliba has reportedly decided to leave the club if Mikel Arteta cannot assure him of a berth in the starting lineup.
The player’s talent is more than evident and the report further claims that clubs are already circling around the player, in the wake of the latest developments. Marseille could be his likely destination, with the French outfit looking to sign the Frenchman on a permanent deal. Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid have also joined a growing list of suitors monitoring the player’s situation.
Having joined on a five-year deal back in 2019 and with two years remaining on his current contract, Arsenal could be forced to cash in on the player now or risk losing him for free or for a ‘very modest’ figure. Whatever happens, Mikel Arteta will be left with a tough decision of his own to make.
THE VERDICT: TOUGH DECISION FOR ARTETA
While Saliba has gown to be highly-rated, there is some debate within the club’s hierarchy, regarding the player’s readiness for first team football in the Premier League. In another scenario, Saliba would have easily walked into the Arsenal lineup but the duo of Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White showed some promise and improved the Arsenal backline last season. Despite all his talent, Premier League experience is key and this is something the young Frenchman cannot boast of.
It is important to remember that Arteta inherited Saliba and the Frenchman was a signing that came under the reign of former manager Unai Emery. Regardless, Saliba actually fits Arteta’s profile of a progression-based defender. In fact, the Frenchman beats Arsenal’s current centre-back options in that regard.
As per FBRef numbers for last season, Saliba recorded 4.48 progressive passes per 90 and 6.36 progressive carries per 90, figures which are in the top 91 and top 97 percentile respectively. In contrast, Ben White managed 2.81 and 3.13, while Gabriel Magalhaes averaged 2.44 and 4.23 respectively. Based on those numbers, claims that Arteta has ‘something’ against the player are a little far-fetched.
While Arteta could yet promise Saliba some first team football in the form of the Europa League and cup games, it remains to be seen if that would be enough for the highly-ambitious youngster. Arsenal have a gem on their hands and must find a way to convince him to stay put at the club. In the event that the player wants more, then an exit might be the best line of action for all parties.
