Matteo Guendouzi has previously suggested that William Saliba’s true footballing passion lies with a club other than Arsenal.
Saliba rose through the ranks at St Etienne before making his first team debut for the Ligue 1 side in 2018. However, Arsenal were quick to spot the 23-year-old’s potential, securing him for the Emirates Stadium in a £27million deal the following year.
But Saliba’s transition to north London wasn’t smooth – he was loaned back to St Etienne for the 2019/20 season, then to Nice the next season.
He spent the 2021/22 season with Marseille, before being recalled to Arsenal where he has since found his footing. Under Mikel Arteta, the tough-tackling centre-half has made 92 appearances across all competitions and has been a key figure in their Premier League title challenges in recent seasons.
