How is William Saliba doing on loan?

William Saliba

How is William Saliba doing on loan?

By Jack Lacey-Hatton

Firstly, he’s still a very young player and has plenty of time to improve either on loan or at Arsenal. 

The Frenchman also has plenty of sell on value, especially if he does well on loan in France or, preferably, at another Premier League club.

We’ve seen defenders go out on loan then be sold for big money in the past, and so Saliba’s performance levels this season are still a matter of concern for Gunners fans, even if he isn’t currently at The Emirates. 

So how has he done on loan at Marseille this season?



Plenty of game time

Saliba made 20 appearances in total for Nice during the 2020/21 season but has already made 18 for Marseille this campaign. 

That is a significant increase in game time for the defender, who needs to start getting more game time if he is going to progress to the next level. 

He’s not been sent off during either of his loan spells in France and is enjoying a fantastic season with the French giants. 

They currently sit in second in the league behind PSG, and although they are ten points off the Qatar-backed club, Les Olympiens have impressed many over the last six months. 

He may have said that he cannot speak on his future at Arsenal, but there are clear signs that he has improved while at Marseille.



Could he return to Arsenal? 

In my opinion, Arsenal are a bit light on cover in the centre-back department. 

The problem is that I don’t believe Saliba would be happy to return to the bench after a season of regular football in France. 

He’s not better than Gabriel, and the Brazilian seems to have sparked up an incredibly reliable partnership with Ben White. 

It would be wrong to risk that to force-fit Saliba into the side, but Arteta could end up needing him if one of the two regulars get injured. 

The amazing thing is that White and Gabriel also have plenty of years left at the top, so it’s not like Arteta can promise him regular first-team football in years to come.
 


What should we do next season?

We should keep Saliba for next season and give him another chance to fight for his spot in the starting 11. 

He may have struggled in the Premier League before, but he appears to be a much more mature and confident player after a couple of years of regular football. 

If we’re smart, we’ll find a way to convince him that fighting for his place is what is best for his progression as a player. 

Unfortunately, I think it’s much more likely that he’ll decide to leave and play for one of the top teams in France. 

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