Arsenal centre-back William Saliba turned down Newcastle loan, chose Marseille

Arsenal defender William Saliba revealed that the club attempted to arrange a loan for him to either Newcastle United or Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. He rejected the move, saying, “Arsenal wanted me to go to Newcastle United or Crystal Palace, but I didn’t want to,” and instead pursued a transfer to Marseille after a brief spell at Lille fell through due to financial issues.

After joining Marseille, Saliba played regularly, rebuilt his confidence and market value, and earned a place in the French national team. His development at the French club paved the way for a successful return to Arsenal, where he has become a core member of the defence and contributed to the team’s recent Premier League title win.