Inside Public Disagreement Between William Saliba and Mikel Arteta That Paves the Way for His Latest Setback

William Saliba has experienced the need to revive his career, whether at club or international level.

Following a three-year wait, Saliba finally made his competitive debut for Arsenal in the summer of 2022, despite signing his contract with the club back in 2019. During those three years, the French defender embarked on three different loan spells, all while facing uncertainty about his future at the Emirates.

The first loan move took him back to his former club, St Etienne, which was expected. However, his surprise loan switch to OGC Nice in the middle of the 2020/21 season raised eyebrows among Arsenal fans and even Saliba himself, as he expressed doubts about his relationship with manager Mikel Arteta in previous public statements.

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According to Saliba, "The coach immediately told me that I was not ready. I would have at least liked to have had a chance to rediscover my rhythm. But this is football, it's like that."

In a subsequent interview on RMC's 'Top of the Foot', Saliba reiterated his earlier remarks, emphasizing the significant changes he has experienced over the past year. He acknowledged that his situation had been greatly influenced by the managerial changes at Arsenal. Saliba stated, "It is clear that so much has changed in the last year. When I saw that the coach changed, a lot changed for me too. There have been numerous alterations and developments during this year."

"He judged me on two-and-a-half matches. I would have liked for him to play me more. But he told me I wasn't ready. I was waiting for him to give me a chance, but football is like that.

"When I initially came to Arsenal the league looked very good so I showed up to training and wanted to train on my own to show the coach I was ready. I am happy now, I want to play for Nice. The idea when you're part of a team is a better feeling for me."

After his loan spell at Marseille, William Saliba finally had the opportunity to showcase his abilities in an Arsenal shirt and has since made tremendous progress.

Despite establishing himself as one of the Premier League's top center-backs, the 23-year-old has surprisingly failed to win over France national team manager Didier Deschamps. Deschamps' recent comments suggest that Saliba faces a challenging task if he hopes to secure a starting role for France in time for Euro 2024.

Speaking to reporters, Deschamps stated, "He is having a good season, but he also does things that I don't like so much. For France, he has had limited playing time, and when he has played, things haven't necessarily gone well. The current hierarchy does not favor him, but he is part of the squad."

"Dayot Upamecano has had game time and perhaps William has had less. With certain players, I make sure to persevere, because it can be confidence or little blockages that can shift. Some don't have any concerns, some need game time. William has had less game time, so that doesn't allow him to be very calm."

For those closely following William Saliba's performances for Arsenal, Deschamps' comments may come as a surprise. Week after week, Saliba has demonstrated his abilities as a center-back for the Gunners. However, the French defender has already proven that he is capable of altering a manager's perception of him, as evidenced by the revived relationship he has forged with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.

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