Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits the relationship with William Saliba 'was really tricky'
dailystar.co.ukMikel Arteta has revealed that his relationship with William Saliba got off to a rocky start when the Spanish boss took over at Arsenal.
Saliba was brought to Arsenal from Saint-Etienne by ex-boss Unai Emery who splashed £27m on the defender in 2019. But the Frenchman had to adapt to a new management style when Arteta replaced Emery in December that year.But Saliba failed the impress Arteta initially and was sent out on loan for spells at Nice and Marseille, where he flourished last season as Ben White and Gabriel marshalled Arsenal's backline.
The 21-year-old became an instant hit at Marseille, making 52 appearances across all competitions. READ MORE: Arsenal 'bottlejobs' destined to blow Premier League title race if data to be believed The French centre-back enjoyed his time so much at the Ligue 1 side that he considered staying put permanently.
And reports claimed Saliba was ready to demand that Arteta let him go if he wasn't guaranteed first team football at the Emirates. Do you think William Saliba's been exceptional for Arsenal this season?
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