How Per Mertesacker made Arsenal sign Saliba

William Saliba moved to Arsenal in 2019, although he remained at Saint-Étienne on loan during the 2019/2020 season, and by the time he arrived at the club, there was a new manager in charge.

Mikel Arteta did not believe the defender was ready for first-team football, which led to him spending the following two seasons on loan to develop and prove himself.

Loan development and breakthrough

He did exactly that during impressive loan spells at Nice and Olympique Marseille, earning his place in the Arsenal squad from the 2022/2023 season onwards.

Saliba is now one of the most important players in the Arsenal team and has played a key role in their successful Premier League campaign, ending a 22-year wait for the title.

Kroenke reflections on transfer decision

They could still win the Champions League, a result that would further establish his reputation as one of the club’s finest defenders, but the question remains how Arsenal secured his signing.

Josh Kroenke discussed the decision, as reported by the Daily Mail, saying:

“I had a great conversation with (ex-academy manager) Per Mertesacker after the final in Baku.

“I made a comment about Virgil van Dijk, who had arrived at Liverpool a year or two before.

“I said, ‘How do we get one of these guys into our system?’ He said, ‘Well unless you’ve got 100 million quid, you better not be thinking about him’. I said, ‘Well, who’s the best young defender in Europe?’ He turned without hesitation and said, ‘William Saliba’. That summer there were already conversations around building for the future. There were so many moving parts at that time…”

This insight highlights how internal discussions and scouting recommendations played a crucial role in identifying Saliba as a long-term defensive prospect for Arsenal.

His rise since then has validated that assessment, with consistent performances making him a central figure in the squad’s defensive structure.