William Saliba’s impressive form for Marseille has earned him a nomination for for Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year.
Sent to the Stade Velodrome to gain more senior experience, the 21-year-old has featured a whopping 49 times this season under coach Jorge Sampaoli.
For context, that works out at 13 and a half matches (1,217 minutes) more than Ben White who leads the way for minutes at Arsenal this campaign.
As things stand, Marseille are second in the league and are still in the mix for a place in the inaugural Europa Conference League final.
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Saison : 2021-2022
Acteurs principaux : 𝘼.𝙆𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙤, 𝘾.𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚𝙗𝙖, 𝙉.𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙨, 𝙒.𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙗𝙖, 𝙆.𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙢#TropheesUNFP pic.twitter.com/67xlPvPCeJ— Prime Video Sport France (@PVSportFR) May 3, 2022
While Saliba castigated himself for a drop in form at the turn of the year, he was still promoted from the France under-21 set-up and made his senior debut in March.
As things stand, the youngster is expected back at London Colney in the summer and should, all going well, make his long-awaited Arsenal debut. He’s already warned that he won’t accept being a benchwarmer.
Signed for £27 million in 2019, Saliba has had a curious time of things as a Gunner. His spell with Marseille represents his third loan – he was previously with former club Saint-Etienne and more recently Nice – and he’s also had to endure a frustrating stint on the sidelines when he wasn’t registered by Mikel Arteta for any senior action.
Saliba’s nomination for the ‘Meilleur Espoir’ award comes alongside Arnaud Kalimuendo (Lens), Castello Lukeba (Lyon), Nuno Mendes (PSG) and Khephren Thuram (Nice).
I wonder how we’ll accommodate Saliba, white and Holding in the same team. Especially as Saliba wants the minutes and White was signed for a large sum.
I guess when we play Madrid in the 2023 Champions league Final a back three of Gabriel, Saliba and White would be pretty effective.
Does anyone really believe Saliba will return to play for us. He’s already stated he doesn’t want to. Best case scenario PSG make a silly offer in the summer.
Saliba has never stated he doesn’t want to play for us. He did say that he would be happy to stay at Marseilles if Arsenal didn’t want to keep him. That is quite different.
Might’ve missed it but when did he say that?
With that back three (and Tomiyasu and Tierney as backup), we might as well sell all the fullbacks and play double attacking wingers (Martinelli and Smith-Rowe; Saka and Pepe).
With European football next year (and hopefully long(er) FA Cup run), especially if we do get into CL, we will definitely need 4 quality centre-backs and they will all get more than enough minutes.
Well said.
Is the right answer
Wait until we’re playing twice a week again next season – probably all season long.
We’re going to need a big squad – and they’ll all get plenty of game time.
This is what I’d be reinforcing to the likes of Eddie and Saliba – especially if we make top four.
May the best man win is the easiest way, if he outperforms the other 2 he should play.
I have a feeling Saliba may be that man.
Worst comes to worst this all adds pounds on his price list come the end of the season
We need 4 CBs next season, especially if we get CL. And a back 3 with him and Gabriel either side of White sounds pretty juicy.
I think there are 3 options this summer:
If we sell him, we really need to buy a new CB, we aren’t going into next season with just White, Gabriel and Holding.
Personally I’d add signs new deal to option 1 and disregard the loan option. If we’re making him part of the team we commit financially to him and secure him on a long term deal. If he won’t sign, we sell this summer. The worst case – albeit admittedly very Arsenal – scenario would be to bring him back, dither about securing him while it’s pre-season, watch him struggle a bit at first and think ‘we’ll sort this end of the year’. Then he ends the season really strongly as a key part of the team, at which point he’s… Read more »
If? What’s all this “if” business?! When we are in the CL we are going to need him 😊
Wouldn’t that be ”White, Gabriel, Holding, Tomiyasu and Tierney’?
Two points–
1) Arteta doesn’t want players who don’t want to be at Arsenal.
2) I agree with 1) above– and also have doubts about a player who wouldn’t want to compete at the highest level (being the PL).
How I felt about Dusan Vlahovic choosing to play/stay in Serie A. If a player has a comfort level that isn’t the very top– he’s not up to standards for the current Arsenal project.
If Saliba chooses to stay at Marseille? He’s not the guy I thought he was.
I don’t think anyone expects him to stay there. He just might not want to sign a new contract with us, which will mean we’re forced to sell
He’s never once said he wouldn’t be happy to play for Arsenal
I didn’t get any of that.
We’ve got to find a way to accommodate this lad. Perhaps he or White could step forward into DM? Martinelli and ESR managing with sharing roles this season, no reason Saliba and White can’t cope similarly.
With us in 4 competitions next season (hopefully with 1 being the champs leagues), I dont think he’ll have a problem getting playing time.
Saliba performance still better than what Arsenal have, White was over paid to compare Saliba performance because Arteta lacks to trust him. Arsenal still need 4 good centre back next season.
Mostly good number 9 (striker).
Does anyone expect all three of White, Gabriel, and Saliba to avoid injury or a run of poor form for a year? With European football, we’ll have to rotate anyway. Holding seems happy to play backup and some cup games. I don’t see why any two, or all three, of White, Gabriel, and Saliba could start. {I don’t know how the wingback puzzle gets solved.) Given that Tomi and Kieran can also play CB, we may be overdosed in that position, but that’s not terrible. Saliba is already ours, and solves our CB depth issue, so bring him in and… Read more »
We won’t have been blessed with as many quality centre backs as the 2002 days of Adams, Campbell, Keown and Toure.
I seem to remember we did the league and cup double that year…..😉
Completely agree. I dont see us getting through an entire season without all 4 CBs getting a decent amount of playing time. We’ve been really lucky with injuries when it comes to both White & Gabriel this season.
The best way to make sure you’re not a benchwarmer is to work your arse off, play better than your competition and show the right attitude which the manager now famously seeks. If one of our loan players comes back and is a disruptive influence I’ve all the faith in the management team to say goodbye. This doesn’t only apply to Saliba.
Can’t believe he’s still only 21. Very exciting to think he could be part of the project next season.
Hopefully he returns to Arsenal eager for pre-season, Arteta and the coaching team properly assess him in training and give him a few pre-season games, and he’s integrated into the squad for the new season.
Looks like the Coq is good enough, maybe our team management is on mistake.
Didn’t I say that we shouldn’t have let Coq go…. 🙄😆
I hate all the talk about quadruple this and that, but do we want them to be happy/contented or disappointed/pissed off when they face Sp*rs?
We want them to win easily after a scare that reminds them not to be complacent, to bring on substitutions as early as possible, and to fear Klopp’s wrath if they ever again play such a crap first half. Diaz full of confidence, Jota with something to prove, Alexander-Arnold paying attention when Liverpool defend. Done.
And if we win out, we actually won’t care anyway.
Maybe now Saliba and/or AMN can be convinced to play for Arteta.
Especially if we play CL.
Happy for the kid. He was dealt a few difficult cards since his Arsenal signing, but it’s not the cards you’re dealt, but how you play them that matters. He’s kept his head down and made the most out of it. Seems like the loan was good for all parties involved and looking forward to how he integrates into the Arsenal squad next season when we will need depth for Europe and cup runs. Will be tricky for Edu and Mikel to find the right players at the right proves to provide the requisite depth needed next season to challenge… Read more »
We seem to have forgotten trusy is coming too ..well lets wait for him to come n i pray we get champions league ..with that i THINK everyone will be happy
whose trusy