Mikel Arteta Assesses William Saliba's Pre-Season Performances

Arsenal’s very own French sensation William Saliba was in fine form during the tour of America, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The 21-year-old experienced a start to his Gunners career that he may not have expected.

Multiple loan moves saw him spend the best part of three years away from the club, at a trifecta of French clubs - St Etienne, OGC Nice, and most recently, Marseille.

That spell at Marseille proved particularly fruitful for the young defender.

Saliba returned to England having won the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award, finding himself an irreplaceable member of Jorge Sampioli’s team.

The French international continued that excellent form into pre-season with Arsenal, and Arteta certainly took note of it.

“I am really pleased to see the way he is playing,” Arteta said.

“The way he has adapted to the team, the maturity that he's shown at 21 years old, carry on doing it.

“We will keep developing him, he has huge potential, he is already a top player and we have to make him even better.”

Rumours had spread of a difficult relationship between the two, fueled by french outlets determined to keep their prized star in their homeland. 

But as recent comments have shown, any claims of a fractured relationship between the two had no substance.

In-fact, recent reports have indicated that a new contract is in the offing for the 21-year-old, a move that would solidify the Gunners’ defensive line for years to come.

The combination of Saliba, White, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Tierney and Tomiyasu is a core set of defenders any club in the world would be envious of.

The group should bring a combination of defensive grit and technical security, if all goes well. 

Arteta’s vision of his dream team is coming together, and all indications are that Saliba is at the heart of that.