Arsenal defender William Saliba has revealed he turned down the chance to join Newcastle United on loan before going on to become one of the Premier League's leading defenders and winning the title with the Gunners.
Saliba's loan decision in 2021
Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 but spent his first three seasons on loan at St Etienne, Nice, and then Marseille. Ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, Arsenal wanted him to gain experience in English football and considered loan moves to Newcastle United or Crystal Palace. However, Saliba opted to join Marseille instead.
"Arsenal wanted me to go to Newcastle United or Crystal Palace, but I didn't want to [do that]," Saliba told L'Equipe. "I remember that summer, it was either Lille or Marseille. I was on the verge of joining Lille but there was a financial problem."
Why Marseille was the right choice
Saliba described Marseille as a "big club" but "scary" due to the passionate supporters. "It was the season where it was a bit crazy, where the supporters had gone to the training ground," he said. But with his agent, they believed a good season at Marseille could accelerate his career. "Marseille, if you go there and have a good season, it is the team in France and things can move quickly. [Manager] Jorge Sampaoli really wanted me."
The decision paid off. Saliba played almost all matches for Marseille, his value rose, and by March 2022 he was playing for France. "I honestly loved Marseille: the supporters, the club, my teammates… football is like that. You build again from the bottom; it's not a problem. Buckle up. If you do things well, you'll get back to the top."
Premier League success with Arsenal
Since returning to Arsenal for the 2022/23 season, Saliba has been an ever-present in the PFA Team of the Season. He played a pivotal role in Arsenal's Premier League title win last season and helped the Gunners reach the Champions League final, where they lost on penalties to PSG.
