Arsenal star was brutally labelled a 'League One-level' player by his teammates when he arrived

Arsenal centre-back William Saliba was brutally labelled a “League One-level” player by his teammates when he arrived at the club.

Saliba has been a revelation in his first full season at Arsenal, having formed a stubborn defence partnership with Gabriel Magalhães.

The centre-back has made 28 appearances in all competitions this term, conceding just 23 goals in that time.

Such form has seen the Gunners climb to the summit of the Premier League, two points clear of last season’s champions Manchester City, while Saliba's performances have put him firmly in France boss Didier Deschamps’s plans.

However, when the defender first arrived at Arsenal, signing from Saint-Etienne for £26million in 2019, there were reportedly doubts about whether he would make the grade in north London.

Saliba compared to a "League One" player

According to ESPN, Arsenal players dismissed Saliba as a “League One-level” player when the defender first arrived at the club.

Having just signed from Saint-Etienne, Saliba was immediately loaned back to the Ligue 1 club for a season, before finally arriving at London Colney in the summer of 2020 to begin his Arsenal career.

With the squad at that point in a state of flux, it was assumed the then 20-year-old centre-back would form a key part of Mikel Arteta’s plans.

However, sources told ESPN that during the 2020-21 pre-season multiple players - none of whom are still at the club - allegedly described Saliba as a “League One-level” footballer, citing his poor positioning and tendency to lunge into a challenge.

The report adds that there was recognition the player would improve, but Arteta and his backroom staff concluded that such development would take place elsewhere.

Saliba stayed at Arsenal until January 2021, however, after another loan to Saint-Etienne fell through due to a clerical error, but languished in the reserves for six months, until a temporary midseason move to Nice came about.

By the time he was sent on loan once more for the 2021-22 season, this time to Marseille, Saliba’s Arsenal career looked to already be coming to an end.

However while with the French giants, he landed his first senior France call-up and was named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year at the end of the season.

Topics: Football, Transfers, William Saliba, Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.