Mikel Arteta reveals it took William Saliba just two training sessions
‘There’s huge potential here’: Mikel Arteta reveals it took William Saliba just two training sessions for the French centre-back to convince him that he would be the bedrock of Arsenal’s title charge
- Arteta didn’t speak to Saliba, 21, for a week after he returned from stints on loan
- Saliba was signed for £27million in 2019 and has started every game this season
- Arsenal head into Saturday’s visit of Bournemouth sitting five points clear of City
Mikel Arteta has revealed how it took William Saliba just two training sessions to begin proving he was ready to anchor Arsenal’s title charge.
The manager didn’t speak to Saliba for a week after the centre back returned from three separate stints on loan. ‘I just wanted to see… how he was because then you can understand the real him,’ Arteta revealed.
The Frenchman, 21, was signed for £27million in 2019 and has since started every Premier League game this season. Even Arteta has been surprised by how quickly Saliba has established himself.
‘He had an immediate impact… the first two training sessions that we looked at him and thought: “There’s huge potential here”,’ the manager said.
‘His attitude, the way he came in and said: “I’m going to prove that I’m very good and I deserve to be here.” Without any looking back, or being shy – he was doing it the right way.’
Mikel Arteta has revealed how it took William Saliba just two training sessions to begin proving he was ready to anchor Arsenal’s title charge
The Frenchman, 21, was signed for £27million in 2019 and has since started every Premier League game this season
Arteta added: ‘He took out every question mark that we could have with him and gave us all the reasons to play him.’
Arsenal head into Saturday’s visit of Bournemouth sitting five points clear of Manchester City.
It was at the Vitality in August that the defender scored a sensational goal and was serenaded with a new chant.
‘I was 100 per cent sure that I was going to have a lot of pressure externally to give him the opportunity,’ Arteta joked.
‘Then it was the perfect storm and a beautiful relationship started to build.’ Until then, though, ‘there were a lot of question marks and he went with all of them, ticking them off’.
Arteta explained: ‘How the player is going to reintegrate into our dynamic after being out for so long. Is there some frustration there, something personal between, for example, between me and the player because he could not understand that?’
Now Saliba is a popular player among Arteta’s squad. ‘He’s really funny, and he doesn’t want to be funny,’ the manager smiled.
‘He has his aura and presence… and then he is very focussed and determined to become a top player.’
Saliba in action with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland at the Emirates Stadium in February
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