Arteta claims Saliba now experienced enough to play with Arsenal: Marseille right decision | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has indicated he wants to use William Saliba next season.

The Spaniard was asked about the status of the young French centre-back, who has been on loan at Marseille this past season.

Saliba, who joined Arsenal in 2019 from Saint-Etienne, has not made a single competitive appearance for the London club.

"We made the right decision," Arteta has told RMC Sport.

"He has to come back. He has the experience necessary to be competitive with us.

"If he had stayed with us this year, with one Premier League match a week, with Ben White and Gabriel, he wouldn't have had half the playing time he had with Marseille, that's for sure.

"For his growth and what he can do next season that wouldn't have been good. William wasn't with us because he wouldn't have had the playing time to gain experience. That's it, there's nothing else."