Paul Merson has claimed that William Saliba ‘should have been given a chance’ at Arsenal by now, as he told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (11/09/21 at 2:25 pm).
For the second season running, Mikel Arteta has opted to send Arsenal’s £27 million signing, from 2019, (Sky Sports) out on loan – this time to French giants, Marseille.
Despite the North London club paying such big bucks for his talents, the 20-year-old is yet to make a single senior appearance for the club.
The questions have to be asked as to why Arteta hasn’t offered him that chance, especially given the troubles the club have had in defence.
Merson shared that it’s ‘not right’ as to how Saliba has been treated by Arsenal.
“A lot of Arsenal fans, this is what they are moaning about,” said Merson. “You can’t tell me he’s not better than what they have at the back, with the goals they are letting in.
“They paid good money. This, for me, is where the game has changed that you can pay £30 million for someone and they just brush it away.
“It’s like ‘oh, it’s £30 million, it hasn’t worked out, so we put him on loan again’. That’s not right. He should have been given a chance.
“I can understand if I am a centre-forward, and I am being put out on loan again for the second season, but the centre-forward has got 40 goals in the last two seasons. But this defence is all over the shop.”
Regardless of how Saliba performs in Ligue 1, it doesn’t seem as though that chance with Arsenal will come his way.
It needs to be remembered that the young Frenchman isn’t Arteta’s signing, but was brought in by Unai Emery when he was at the club.
It seems as though Arteta is going to push for Gabriel and new summer signing Ben White as his first-choice centre-back pairing.
And from there, the likes of Rob Holding, Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers will provide cover.
Surely, Saliba can push ahead of the above trio? Because it’s not like they have been pulling up trees.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
