Why William Saliba actually snubbed Tottenham to join Arsenal in 2019 – ‘that really helped me’
Tottenham’s North London derby showdown against Arsenal will create some compelling narratives on the pitch.
Firstly, Bukayo Saka’s battle against Destiny Udogie could be decisive in the contest, with the Gunners ace scoring five goals in three appearances against Spurs.
But Thomas Frank’s men also carry an attacking threat of their own, and that should see Mohammed Kudus cause Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori problems in transition.
Ultimately, though, if Tottenham want to end their six-match winless run in this fixture, they must breach one of the best defences in Europe.
Arsenal’s defence poses huge Tottenham test
Arsenal have only conceded five goals in the Premier League this term, and two of them came last time out in a 2-2 draw against Sunderland.
Mikel Arteta’s partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba has created the foundations for their success by forming an incredible partnership.
But for all of their dominance at the back, the Gunners were dealt a huge blow last weekend as Gabriel suffered a groin injury during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal.
The 27-year-old will now miss the North London derby and potentially a month of action, handing Piero Hincapie the chance to impress.
While that could hand Spurs the initiative, Hincapie is a quality operator, and he should slot in comfortably alongside Saliba, someone the Lilywhites almost signed.
Tottenham almost signed William Saliba ahead of Arsenal
Tottenham are no strangers to missing out on some world-class players, particularly during the Daniel Levy era.
Supporters will forever curse their former chairman after Spurs missed out on capturing Sadio Mane ahead of Liverpool because Levy wouldn’t match his demands.
Mane, of course, developed into one of the Premier League’s players in the modern day, and the same can be said for Saliba.
In the summer of 2019, Spurs were ready to hijack Arsenal’s deal for Saliba, as per The Standard, by making an upfront offer to Saint-Etienne and handing him a hefty wage packet.
But Arsenal’s former head of football, Raul Sanllehi, was key to ensuring the Frenchman moved to the Emirates Stadium and snubbed their rivals, something the defender was also behind.
“Well, the history, the badge… since I was little, I’ve been watching Arsenal play in the Champions League and so on, and there are a lot of French players who have come through here,” Saliba said when asked why he rejected Spurs for Arsenal.
“So that really helped me to make my mind up.”
Since then, the 24-year-old has been incredible for Arsenal and developed into one of the world’s best, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @tottenhamnews247