Mikel Arteta shares what Arsenal's William Saliba is like off the pitch

By Shamanth Jayaram

In his press conference yesterday, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was asked what William Saliba is really like outside the football pitch.

Unai Emery signed the 21-year-old back in 2019 from Saint-Etienne. His path to Arsenal’s first team has been a really difficult one, but he has made it, and he’s a real star now.

Saliba is a strong, commanding centre-half on the pitch, but Arteta says he’s a lot more relaxed off it.

Mikel Arteta shares what Arsenal’s William Saliba is like off the pitch

One of the most admirable things about this Arsenal side is how united they are.

The togetherness shown by everyone in the side proves that the atmosphere inside the dressing room is an excellent one, and Saliba might be one of those characters who makes everybody laugh and have a good time.

That’s according to Arteta, who says the Frenchman doesn’t really want to be funny, but he just is, and that’s why everyone at the club loves him.

The Gunners boss said in his press conference, as relayed on HaytersTV: “He’s really funny, and he doesn’t want to be funny, but he’s extremely funny.

“He’s really liked around the place. He’s good, he has his aura and presence and always a really good humour and energy around him.

“And then (on the pitch, he’s) very, very focused and determined to become a top, top player. He’s naturally really composed and doesn’t get too bothered about opinions or getting nervy in certain situations. That’s a big quality of his.”

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Saliba is an outstanding footballer, and it looks like he’s brilliant off the pitch too.

One of the biggest changes at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta is the energy and unity in and around the club. Before he arrived, the atmosphere was extremely negative and toxic, and that played a part in the results.

Now, with everyone in the squad and in the fan base united, Arsenal are flying and could win their first Premier League title in almost two decades.

A great example of the togetherness was when Saliba made a mistake against Leicester last year and the Emirates erupted in support of the young defender.

That would’ve given him a ton of confidence and that may be one of the reasons why he’s among the best defenders in the country at the moment.