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Marseille boss raves about Arsenal loanee who Arteta never started

Marseille boss raves about Arsenal loanee who Arteta never started
Marseille boss raves about Arsenal loanee who Arteta never started
Photo: AFP via Getty

Marseille coach Jorge Sampaoli is cherishing every bit of William Saliba at his club. The Arsenal loanee has helped the Ligue 1 side secure a second spot in the points table this season.

The Gunners roped him in from Saint-Etienne in the summer of 2019. He was a fan-favourite and no one had expected that the club would keep him benched most of the time. The 20-year-old was then loaned back to Saint-Etienne where he managed to reach the French Cup final.

Last summer, the defender returned to the Emirates Stadium only to move to Nice. During the 2020/21 season, Saliba got to hone his skills in 22 competitive appearances.

He was then loaned back to Marseille where he has become a regular starter. So far, he has played the full 90 minutes in five Ligue 1 matches under Jorge Sampaoli.

The Marseille boss was in awe of Saliba’s skills at defence. “He’s a top player at his position. We were lucky to get him on loan, it wasn’t simple,” he said. “He’s great at marking, but good bringing the ball out too – he’s a future great of French football, he’s very good at starting plays. He’s adapted to a three at the back well, and his performances are linked to the team’s, which likes to play from the back.”

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