Per Mertesacker urges Arsenal to use William Saliba this season

William Saliba returns to the club after several loan spells away in France, and former Gunner Per Mertesacker believes that Mikel Arteta should use the 21-year-old this season.

Here we are, at the start of the preseason, after the Gunners have just swept aside FC Nurnberg 5-3, with Gabriel Jesus netting a superb double.

However, for all the good that has come so far this summer for Arsenal (Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira signings), there is one thing that fans will get more excited about.

William Saliba playing in an Arsenal shirt.

It feels like a decade ago that the club signed the then 19-year-old in a £27 million deal from Ligue 1 side Saint-Étienne. Loan moves away from the club and a feeling that perhaps it was a nightmare move for the French defender after a lack of minutes with the club, all pointed to perhaps him staying in France with Marseille.

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Thankfully that is not the case, as Saliba wants to stay with the club and fight for his place. As he returns for preseason, excitement from the fanbase is understandably high as after three years of waiting; we will finally see the 21-year-old playing in an Arsenal team.

With Gabriel and Benjamin White the clear first-choice pairing in the heart of the Gunners defense, for the moment, Saliba will have to bide his time, but with the Europa League now on the club’s agenda, game time will be there for the Frenchman.

Arsenal’s head of youth development, Per Mertesacker, recently spoke with HaytersTV and stated that given what the youngster has achieved over in France and the performances he has put in, that Arsenal should use him.

Mertesacker said:

"“What William has done in Marseille is magnificent. So for us to really test him this summer and see what’s best for him.“He has clearly made his mark with his young age, with his playing in a major league in Europe and being one of the best players says it all. So why not use him?”"

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As Arsenal enters perhaps one of its most crucial seasons in recent memory, the defense is in good shape with a young, talented core of players at Mikel Arteta’s disposal.

Add to that, the prospect of seeing one of the most talked-about defensive prospects in world football strut his stuff for the club will be something we never thought we’d see.

This upcoming campaign, we finally get to see William Saliba play for Arsenal a mere three years after signing for the club.