"I want to play as a starter" - 21-year-old loanee says he wants to feature regularly in Mikel Arteta's side as future remains uncertain

Arsenal loanee William Saliba has said that he is keen on becoming a regular first-team starter at the Emirates Stadium and will not be happy to be among the substitutes. The defender is currently on loan at Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseille and is doing exceptionally well.

Saliba has revealed that the Gunners are still in constant touch with him and his agent. The 21-year-old defender believes the loan moves have made him a better player, which has led to him becoming a full French international.

Speaking to French outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), William Saliba said:

“They are often in contact with my agent. They send me messages. They watch my matches. They tell me that we have to continue like this. I haven’t played much with the Gunners. The coach has made his choices, that’s life."

"I left on loan, I put the matches together, and I became an international. What happened to me forged a tougher mind, it is not because you have cost €30m that you are playing. I take it positively, even if there are times that you wonder. For six months I saw I was the only in the group not to play, that hurt," he added.

Saliba believes he is ready to play week-in-week-out for Mikel Arteta's side if he returns to the Emirates Stadium at the end of the season. He added:

“Of course, I can’t be happy on Arsenal’s bench. I want to play as a starter. Afterwards, if I enter the rotation as a substitute, it’s not like being in the U23s and never being in the squad.”

“We’ll see after (the season). If I come back, it will be with great, great pleasure,” Saliba signed off.

Arsenal signed William Saliba in 2019 from Saint-Etienne for a substantial fee of £27 million but he is yet to make an appearance for the first-team. The 21-year-old has had three loan spells away from the Gunners at Saint-Etienne, OGC Nice and now to Marseille.

Saliba has had regular game time playing for Marseille in Ligue 1. He has already made 40 appearances across all competitions and has missed just one league game so far.

This led to him being called up to the France squad by manager Didier Deschamps in the recently concluded international break. The 21-year-old made his international debut against Cote d'Ivoire before playing the full 90 minutes against South Africa in a 5-0 win.

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Arsenal have an established defense this season

As things stand, Arsenal have an established defense under the management of Mikel Arteta. Last summer, the Gunners signed Ben White from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of £50 million.

As things stand, White and Gabriel Magalhaes are Arsenal's first-choice centre-backs, with Rob Holding serving as a backup. The Gunners have the fifth-best defense in the league this season, conceding 31 goals.

This defensive solidity has seen Arsenal breach the Premier League top-four. The Gunners are currently fourth in the standings, having accumulated 54 points from 28 matches. They are currently three points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand. They are in a favorable position to finish in the top four places.