must remain patient as he waits to break into the first team, but also faces a step up to ‘another level’ from Marseille, warns William Gallas.
The 21-year-old has had a strange time since signing for Arsneal for £27m in 2019, yet to make an appearance for the club as he has spent seasons on loan at Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille.
Nothing especially unusual in that story for a young player, but Saliba has shone, earning himself five caps for France, while Arsenal continue to toil in their quest to regain former powers.
Gallas, who played for Arsenal and Marseille, has been impressed with his compatriot but is understanding of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta’s decision on the centre-back.
The former defender warns Saliba that it is a big leap to play in the Premier League and he must work hard, prepare for his chances and impress when he gets the opportunity.
‘He did well at Marseille. He had a great season with Marseille, but and the Premier League is another level,’ Gallas told for .
‘I think he has to be patient, I’m sure Mikel Arteta will give him minutes to play and slowly, slowly he will be in the starting XI.
‘What is very important for the young players is to be patient because if not you can get upset. If you are upset you don’t train properly, if you play on the weekend you won’t have as good a performance, so you have to be patient and know your time will come.
‘When a manager puts you in the starting XI you have to be ready. That is the excuse sometimes for players, if you don’t play well in the starting XI, they can say they didn’t perform because they didn’t play very much. No! You should be ready, at the training ground you have to do more because you never know what could happen at the weekend.
‘You could have a situation where maybe at the last moment you have to play, so if you don’t have a good session during the week, how can you be good at the weekend? That’s why you have to be patient.’
Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes remain the first choice centre-backs under Arteta at Arsenal, but Gallas believes Saliba will get his chances when the Spaniard switches to three at the back.
‘Saliba will have the opportunity to play because Arsenal sometimes play three at the back, he can play that system. With four at the back we know players are in front of him, so he must be patient,’ said the former Chelsea and Tottenham man.
‘When you have the opportunity to play, show them what you can do. Put pressure on the manager. If you have the good performance the manager will be under pressure.’
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