Matteo Guendouzi Claims William Saliba’s Heart Belongs to Marseille Amid Real Madrid Interest
Matteo Guendouzi, a former Arsenal player, has claimed that William Saliba holds a special place in his heart for one team, and it isn’t Arsenal.
Saliba, a French center-back, began his professional career at St Etienne, making his debut in 2018. His talent quickly caught the attention of Arsenal, leading to a £27 million transfer to the club the following year.
However, Saliba’s early days at Arsenal were challenging; he was loaned back to St Etienne for the 2019/20 season and then spent time on loan at Nice and Marseille before returning to Arsenal, where he has since established himself.
Under manager Mikel Arteta, Saliba has made 92 appearances and has been crucial in Arsenal’s title challenges in recent seasons. Despite this, Guendouzi, who played alongside Saliba at Marseille, noted that Saliba has a strong connection to the French club and believes he might return.
In a 2022 interview with Telefoot, Guendouzi stated, “William has OM in his heart, and I’m sure he will return to Marseille next season.” Although this return never materialized, Saliba solidified his position in Arsenal’s squad during the 2022/23 season.
Saliba played a key role in Arsenal’s second-place finishes in consecutive seasons, narrowly missing the Premier League title to Manchester City. He has hinted at a desire to return to Marseille, saying in 2022, “It would be my pleasure to come back no matter what. It’s Marseille, it’s my club.”
During his time at Marseille, Saliba helped the team achieve a second-place finish in Ligue 1, and his future at Arsenal was uncertain at that time. Despite signing a new contract until 2027 and feeling settled at Arsenal, reports suggest Real Madrid is interested in acquiring him.
Real Madrid had shown interest in Saliba during the summer, especially with first-choice defender Eder Militao dealing with injuries, but no official offer was made. Antonio Rudiger has praised Saliba, expressing that he would sign him for Madrid if he had the chance.
Despite the speculation, Arteta and Arsenal’s management have no plans to sell Saliba and hope to keep him focused as they aim to surpass Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
Matteo Guendouzi Claims William Saliba’s Heart Belongs to Marseille Amid Real Madrid Interest
