William Saliba has told L’Equipe he does not want to return to Arsenal only to sit on their bench, and that it would be a ‘great pleasure’ to return to Marseille after his loan transfer.
Mikel Arteta sent the defender back to France for the season last summer for a third spell away since joining. Saliba is still yet to make his Gunners debut, having instantly re-joined Saint-Etienne after his £27m move in 2019, before stints with OGC Nice and Les Phoceens.
The centre-half’s only time in north London over the past three years came during the first half of the 2020/21 campaign. Yet Arteta never took to Saliba, who featured in just two of Arsenal’s matchday squads. They also came in the Community Shield and Carabao Cup.
Instead, the 21-year-old turned out for the Emirates Stadium side’s Under-23s eight times that season. But Saliba has shown Arteta what he can offer Arsenal during a term on loan with Marseille this season. The defender also earned his France debut in the recent break.
Saliba impressed Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps during his bow against Ivory Coast last week, too. His calmness on the occasion particularly stood out to Deschamps, who had no concerns over the Bondy-born enforcer, who also started against South Africa on Tuesday.
Saliba admits he won’t be ‘happy’ at Arsenal if only on Mikel Arteta’s bench
Despite Saliba’s impressive loan transfer with Marseille, who sit second in Ligue 1 with the joint-second best defensive record, some at Arsenal still doubt the Unai Emery signing. The Athletic report that some Gunners staff feel ‘the hype around Saliba outweighs the talent’.
Arteta’s stance on his usage upon returning to the Emirates will show where the Spaniard stands in that regard. And if it is a seat on the bench, Saliba may look to leave Arsenal and will not rule out another transfer to Marseille following his loan, and will see this summer.
“Obviously, I can’t just be on the bench at Arsenal and be happy,” Saliba said. “I want to play starter. Afterwards, if I enter the rotation as a substitute, it’s not like staying with the Under-23s and never being in the group.
“This club and this public are magnificent, so I want to make the most of it by the end of the season, as if I was never going to come back. There are two months left, I want to savour every moment, especially at home.
“We’ll see after [the season]. If I come back, it will be with great, great pleasure.”
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