Mikel Arteta offers William Saliba a lifeline at Arsenal amid Nice loan spell
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Saliba is frustrated with his lack of chances at Arsenal since his £ 27million transfer ended in 2019 after Arteta told him he was ‘not ready’ to be in the first team
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Mikel Arteta insists he is “watching very closely” all Arsenal stars on loan, including William Saliba.
The 19-year-old defender is currently plying his trade with French Ligue 1 club Nice after failing to find his way into Arteta’s plans.
Saliba was believed to play a role in this campaign after being signed for £ 27million in 2019 and being loaned out last season to former club Saint-Etienne.
But Arteta told the center-back he was “not ready” for first-team action, instead sending him to gain more experience elsewhere, although he offered Saliba a glimmer of hope for his future.
“We have meetings very often to assess what they’re doing and obviously we get all the information and watch their games because I want to keep a very close eye on what they’re doing,” said Arteta. Arsenal.com.
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“We were talking yesterday for example with Ben Knapper, who is our loan officer, who is in charge of monitoring everything we do, and we are in contact with the players.
“Let’s see. It’s good news that they are playing and it’s good news that they have the opportunity to have a lot of minutes because that will give us a much better sense of where they are and how we are. can use them. “
Saliba previously admitted that he had been “injured” by his temporary exit, but plays regularly in France, making 10 appearances since his arrival in Nice in early January.
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Arteta highlighted this season will act as a “transition year” for the youngster to get more used to the rigors of professional football and give him a chance to develop before joining Arsenal this summer.
There is some skepticism about Saliba’s long-term future at Arsenal, however, given that he was not signed by Arteta, who has added two more center-backs to his squad since his appointment.
Neither has he done much to make himself loved by his manager, interact with his fellow pariah Matteo Guendouzi openly criticizing Arteta ever since, while apparently having little intention of returning.
“It’s clear that so much has changed over the past year,” Saliba told RMC Sport recently.
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“When I saw that the coach has changed a lot [things] changed for me too. This year there have been a lot of changes. He [Arteta] judged me on two and a half matches. I wish he played me more. But he told me that I was not ready.
“I was waiting for him to give me a chance, but football is like that.”
He added: “When I first arrived at Arsenal the league looked great so I showed up for training and wanted to train on my own to show the coach that I was ready.
“I’m happy now. I want to play for Nice. The idea of being part of a team is a better feeling for me.”
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