There remain plenty of unknowns regarding Arsenal’s season and the upcoming summer transfer window. Much of it will ride on how the Gunners finish the season and whether Champions League qualification is assured or not.
However, one player whose future seems equally as mysterious is William Saliba. The young defender has impressed consistently for Marseille and he is set to return to Arsenal in the summer.
There is expected to be serious interest in the player from plenty of teams due to a combination of his performances and his unsettled position at his parent team. Mikel Arteta is yet to give Saliba his senior debut despite costing the club in excess of £27 million.
Plenty of Arsenal supporters have been keeping track of Saliba throughout the campaign and will have watched last night as his error cost Marseille a point in their 2-1 defeat to Lyon.
In the 89th minute, Saliba was outdone by a clever long ball over the top and Moussa Dembele’s excellent touch, turn and deft finish left the young man regretfully rueing his mistake.
The moment, as shown in stages below, shows the mistake of Saliba breaking the offside line and playing the French striker onside as the ball is played over the top.
The rest is brilliant from Dembele. Some might argue Saliba should have been more physical or even taken the red card to avoid the defeat. Although in context, the latter suggestion would mean Marseille would lose their best defender for the next game.
Speaking to Ben Senouillet from The Marseille View, having watched the match, he felt that the mistake tarnished what was a great display again from Saliba.
“Solid and decisive in breaking up Lyon counter-attacks thanks to his pace and strength, William Saliba’s only mistake of the game is sadly the costliest as Dembele bullied him to net the winner,” explained Senouillet.
Questioned further on his season overall, Senouillet couldn’t be more complimentary but did point out a weakness he’d noticed.
“Saliba is in solid form for Marseille in 2022 so far, despite a costly mistake against Lyon. Amongst the best in Ligue 1. He does get caught out occasionally, mainly on set-piece marking,” he said.
Thankfully, football.london understands that Saliba intends to return to Arsenal at the end of the season. Some reports from France suggested otherwise and that a permanent move to OM could take place.
The threat of an incoming transfer ban for the French side, however, will likely derail any hope on that front.
Interestingly, Saliba has been used in several different roles, even at right-back. His performances in this position have been analysed by The Arsenal Way which you can find out more about here.
Half a season remains for Saliba to continue to prove why Arteta should integrate him into his squad for next season and if he continues on his current path, ironing out the errors, he will position himself perfectly.
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