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From 'League One level' to indispensable: How William Saliba became key for Arsenal

When William Saliba arrived at London Colney in summer 2020 to belatedly begin his Arsenal career, the view from the more cynical corners of the training ground was damning.

Saliba had been signed from Saint-Etienne for €30 million in 2019 and immediately loaned back to the French Ligue 1 club for a season, by the end of which Mikel Arteta had replaced Unai Emery as head coach and the usual turnover of backroom staff had occurred again.

The squad was also in a state of flux by that stage, with Arteta determined to stamp his authority on a group which had lost direction and discipline.