William Saliba has to be ready for bench role at Arsenal, claims William Gallas

A lot was expected from William Saliba when he signed for Arsenal in the summer of 2019 but he is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Gunners. Instead, the young defender has spent multiple seasons away on loan in France, gaining experience and improving slowly but steadily, so much so that the 21-year-old earned his first cap for France. But that has seen reports indicate that the defender is keen on getting more game-time, whether that’s at Arsenal or elsewhere.

“If he comes back to Arsenal, he has to be ready to go back and maybe be on the bench at the beginning because at the moment you have got Ben White and Gabriel. He has to be ready to accept being on the bench. Mikel Arteta, if he plays with a different system, with three at the back, then he could play with Saliba.

“Defenders are completely different to strikers, you need to have experience when you play at the back. Saliba is only 21 years old. He has played 30 or more games at Marseille, so if he goes back to Arsenal then he would like to play again. Maybe he will be on the bench, and if that happens then he will be upset,” he added.

Another young star in question is Bukayo Saka and the forward’s performances this term has seen more than a few clubs from across England and Europe keep a keen eye on his performances. But with Arsenal not playing Champions League football, there is a question as to how much longer they can keep Saka at the club. It saw Gallas reveal that the Gunners need to finish in the top four but he also confessed that Saka should stay for at least another season, as leaving now makes no sense.

“If you are not in the starting XI, it can be a problem to start for the national team. We know how it can be difficult sometimes for players to adapt to a new club, especially if they don’t play. It will be difficult for him if he leaves Arsenal, so that’s why it is better for him to stay for maybe one more season,” Gallas further told Goal.