Saliba reveals how he disagreed with Arsenal on his best loan club

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·26 Juni 2026

Saliba reveals how he disagreed with Arsenal on his best loan club

When Arsenal signed William Saliba, the manager was Unai Emery, but the defender remained on loan at Saint-Étienne for the rest of the 2019 to 2020 season.

By the time he arrived in London that summer, Mikel Arteta had recently taken charge after being appointed at the end of 2019, and Saliba struggled to break into the first team during his early months at the club.

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Saliba was subsequently sent on loan to Nice for the second half of the campaign to gain regular playing time and continue his development in France.

When he returned in the summer of 2021, Arsenal considered sending him to a Premier League club, but he opted for another move back to France, initially preferring Lille before joining Olympique Marseille.

Early loan spells and development

The defender flourished in France and has since become a key part of the Arsenal team from the 2022 to 2023 season onwards, contributing to their domestic success and Champions League final run this summer.

He has now revealed he rejected Newcastle United.

He told L’Équipe:

“Arsenal wanted me to go to Newcastle United or Crystal Palace, but I didn’t want to [do that].

“I remember that summer, it was either Lille OSC or Marseille. I was on the verge of joining Lille but there was a financial problem.”

Reflection on transfer decisions

His decision to prioritise moves within France was shaped by his desire for regular playing time and steady development rather than immediate Premier League opportunities, which he felt would be more demanding at that stage of his career.

Saliba’s career path has since proven successful as he has become an established figure for Arsenal and remains an important part of their long-term defensive plans.

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