Arsenal star called out by international boss despite being one of the best in the Prem

William Saliba may have become pivotal to Arsenal under Mikel Arteta but not everyone has been impressed by his current form - least of all his international boss. The 23-year-old defender was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season last year despite missing the latter part of the campaign with a back injury - and has been excellent for the Gunners again this season.

But the centre-back is yet to nail down a regular place for France, with manager Didier Deschamps favouring the likes of Benjamin Pavard and Dayot Upamecano. And ahead of a friendly clash with Chile on Tuesday, Deschamps has claimed that things have not “gone well” for Saliba for his country.

“He is having a good season, but he also does things that I don’t like so much," the 55-year-old said in his media conference on Monday. "For France, he has limited game time, but when he plays, that hasn’t necessarily gone well. The hierarchy doesn’t favour him at the moment, but he is here.”

However, Deschamps also vowed to stick by Saliba, and is expected to give him a rare start at the Stade Velodrome. That’s despite the ex-Saint Etienne man being an unused substitute for the 2-0 defeat to Germany in Lyon on Saturday.

"With certain players, I make sure to persevere, because it can be confidence or little blockages that can shift,” he added. “Some don’t have any concerns, some need game time. William has had less game time, so that doesn’t allow him to be very calm."

The comments threaten to add an extra chapter to the saga of this current international break for the Gunners. Earlier this month, it emerged that Ben White had asked Gareth Southgate not to consider him for England selection, despite having been tipped for a first recall since leaving the 2022 World Cup in Qatar prematurely.

The last week, another England player in Bukayo Saka withdrew from the friendly games against Brazil and Belgium, citing a minor injury. The forward now faces a race against a time ahead of Arsenal’s crucial Premier League game with Manchester City on Sunday.

And now Arteta faces an anxious wait to see if Saliba makes it through the Chile game unscathed. Last season, the back problem his key man picked up in the Europa League game with Sporting CP was widely perceived as a major factor in his club’s title challenge being derailed.

He’s featured in all 28 of Arsenal’s Premier League games in the 2023/24 campaign though, and has also been an ever-present in their Champions League run to the quarter-finals. Last July, his form was rewarded with a new long-term deal, tying him to the North London club until 2028.