William Saliba has become one of the best centre-backs in the world at Arsenal, but his journey to the top has required patience and belief from his manager
William Saliba of Arsenal
William Saliba is one of Arsenal's most important players
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If ever a player could make the case for loan spells being vital to long-term success, Arsenal's William Saliba would be the perfect example. After a contract clause stopped the Frenchman from leaving, the 25-year-old had to play the long game to make a success of himself with the Gunners.
Back in 2021, the Frenchman was two years into his career at the Emirates Stadium without a single senior appearance, despite completing a high-profile £27 million move from Saint-Etienne. Critics seized upon this as evidence that Arteta didn't fancy Saliba, but that wasn't the reality.
When Arsenal arranged to send their promising centre-back to OGC Nice in Ligue 1, the Riviera-based club wanted a buy option written into the agreement. Arsenal firmly refused to entertain the idea, insisting a straightforward loan was the only way a deal would happen.
Predictably, no buy option featured in Saliba's loan contract. It may not have been apparent at the time, but Arteta's insistence on excluding any such clause demonstrated he had a long-term vision for Saliba at Arsenal.
First, he dispatched him back to Saint-Etienne for first-team experience, then to Nice to build confidence, and finally, a Premier League loan to prove he was ready for the top level.
A disgruntled Saliba rejected approaches from Crystal Palace and Newcastle, opting demanding a third loan spell in France with Marseille. He repaid that faith by earning a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year for the 2021/22 season.
"They [Arsenal] didn't even tell me to come back during pre-season. They told me to find a club on loan," he told France Football. "Arsenal wanted me to go to Newcastle or Crystal Palace, but I didn't want to.
"I remember that summer, it was either Lille or Marseille. I was very close to going to Lille, but there was a financial problem."
Arteta had previously demonstrated a ruthless streak: forcing out Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, stripping Granit Xhaka of the captaincy and cutting ties with Matteo Guendouzi. Yet with Saliba, there was a certain delicacy at play - carefully biding his time before unleashing him upon the world as a fully-fledged Arsenal player.
William Saliba of Arsenal
Arsenal star William Saliba has had to be patient
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At the time, Arteta felt the Covid pandemic had hampered Saliba's progression. Despite the centre-back's evident frustration at being sent out on yet another temporary spell away from the club, the Spaniard outlined his reasoning for doing so once more.
"For many reasons, that wasn't the transition year that he needed because he had a lot of injuries, some personal injuries and also with Covid and the French league getting cancelled, he didn't have that year," Arteta said.
"He needs that year of transition and we are trying to make the right decisions for him to give him the best transitional year for him to have the player we want in our future."
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It's safe to say that patience has proved worthwhile. Saliba is now regarded as one of the finest centre-backs on the planet and, without his formidable partnership with Gabriel, Arsenal may well not have clinched the Premier League title last season.
His ascent to the top of the game is reflected in his place in the France starting line-up. It took some time for Saliba to win the trust of Didier Deschamps, but at 25, he is now considered an essential component of Les Bleus' set-up with 34 caps to his name.
Beyond his standing as a world-class defender, there is clear logic in pairing him alongside Dayot Upamecano for their Group I clash with Norway on Friday. Erling Haaland will be prowling the penalty area, desperate to add to his four-goal haul at the World Cup as he pursues the Golden Boot and a deep run in the tournament.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 22: William SALIBA of France during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Iraq at Philadelphia Stadium on June 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, United States. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus/Getty Images)
William Saliba is a key figure for Arsenal and now France(Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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Saliba has gone head-to-head with the imposing Norwegian across the last four Premier League seasons whenever Arsenal have faced Manchester City, and their duels have been utterly compelling. Now Haaland is being supplied by his Arsenal team-mate Martin Odegaard, and Saliba will be determined to get the better of them both.
Deschamps will be counting on Saliba channelling that personal rivalry — even if it burns less fiercely than Gabriel's — to keep Haaland quiet and protect the 2018 world champions. Securing top spot in Group I would place them on a far more favourable route through this World Cup, and a draw would be enough to guarantee it.
Half a decade ago, Saliba was merely one of many players at Arsenal and barely registered on France's radar whatsoever. Now, he is the player both sides turn to when it matters most, and Arteta can take considerable credit for playing a pivotal role in shaping that transformation.
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