Arsenal defender William Saliba has now opened up on his ‘not so good’ start at the Gunners and having to earn Mikel Arteta’s trust upon his move to Emirates Stadium.
The 22-year-old is now one of the north London giant’s most important players as they seek Premier League and Champions League honours. But Saliba started his time at Arsenal as an outcast. Arteta showed zero belief in the Frenchman’s potential to deliver a valuable impact.
Arteta left Saliba out of his plans entirely upon the centre-half’s eventual arrival in 2020 and left him to play for Arsenal’s academy. Unai Emery had signed Saliba from Saint-Etienne in a £27m deal in July 2019. But the Bondy-born brute re-joined ASSE on loan for the next term.
William Saliba went from an outcast to Arsenal’s most important defender
Arsenal would send Saliba on further loan spells back in Ligue 1 with OGC Nice in 2021 and to Marseille for the 2021/22 season. His form with OM would even see the 6 ft 3 star make his senior France debut before his Gunners bow. Didier Deschamps used him in March 2022.
Yet after Saliba proved himself as an intelligent and imposing talent at the Stade Velodrome, Arteta finally gave the defender his chance at Arsenal. The Spaniard has not looked back on the decision to since, either. Saliba is their most important defender with his pace and guile.
William Saliba opens up on having to earn Mikel Arteta’s trust at the Gunners
Even Arsenal legend Sol Campbell has claimed Arteta has the Gunners’ best defensive duo since the Invincibles in Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. They have helped the Gunners to have the sternest defensive record in the Premier League this season through the first 15 fixtures.
Yet Saliba believes he still has ‘a lot of work’ to fulfil the Arsenal talent’s target of being the best centre-back ‘in the world’. But London Colney is the perfect place for him to hone that skill. Saliba has full confidence in Arteta and Arsenal’s coaching staff after earning his trust.
“My first experience at Arsenal was not so good because I had to play a lot of games away on loan,” Saliba has told The Sun. “But I learned from that time away and came back to the Emirates stronger.
“And now I know that the manager trusts me, it makes it easier for me to play well. I feel a lot of confidence from him. He is always teaching and giving us things to develop and if I’m a good player now, then it’s because of him and the staff.
“I know I still have a lot of work to do to improve my game. But I have the right environment at Arsenal to develop, and I will give everything to one day become the best centre-back in the world.”
Arteta will hope Saliba proves his potential once again on Saturday when Arsenal visit Emery and Aston Villa. The Villans are on a joint club-record 14-game winning streak at Villa Park in the Premier League. Arsenal are the last team to beat Aston Villa in Birmingham in February.
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