Arsenal shipped William Saliba off to Marseille ahead of the new campaign as the defender began a third loan spell since moving to north London in 2019. Saliba was instantly sent back to Saint-Etienne on a temporary basis after arriving from the French side for £27million and also enjoyed a spell with Nice last season.
The Frenchman has been tipped for big things since putting pen to paper on a long-term deal at the Emirates Stadium.
It was Unai Emery who completed the deal for the 18-year-old Saliba as the Spaniard declared that Arsenal had beaten a host of rivals clubs to the player’s signature.
But Emery was dismissed by Arsenal just months later and never had the chance to work with the talented youngster.
Saliba has yet to be given a chance to impress in England and hasn’t even made his first-team debut for the Gunners.
Manager Mikel Arteta clearly felt the player wasn’t ready for Premier League football this season but might be left ruing his decision to send him out on loan yet again.
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If the defender continues to impress, he could attract the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs – and he might even fancy a stay in Marseille given his form there at present.
To be a standout player in any league at the age of 21 requires huge talent and Saliba now appears more than ready to play on the biggest stage.
But he may feel he hasn’t been given the trust and respect he deserves at Arsenal and may in fact decide his future now lies away from north London.
It isn’t clear whether Saliba has a good relationship with Arteta and the player may wish to play under a manager who truly believes in his abilities.
“William is a player with strong natural ability and next season has the potential to be really beneficial for him at Marseille, a good club,” Gunners sporting director Edu told Arsenal.com ahead of his loan move.
“To play another season in Ligue 1 will be very important for his development.
“We will of course be keeping in close contact with William during the season and wish him all the best in France with Marseille.”
The Gunners may have sent Saliba off to France with the best intentions – but it could be a decision they later come to regret. They must convince him he’s best off committing his future to them despite his success back in his home country.
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