The pair of talented, young Frenchmen are both still on the books of Arsenal despite both playing their way into the hearts of the Marseille faithful in the home country
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Both Matteo Guendouzi and William Saliba are quickly emerging as two of the finest talents in the top-tier of French football as they continue their shared spell at Marseille on loan from Arsenal.
The pair have both endured controversial spells in their relatively short careers for contrasting reasons, but the ability of both is undeniable as Marseille sit third in Ligue 1 just two points behind second-placed OGC Nice with a game in hand.
Guendouzi’s Arsenal career has been somewhat of a rollercoaster during his three year’s on the books.
Signed by former Gunners boss Unai Emery, the young midfielder was thrown in at the deep end and handed his Premier League debut on the opening day of the 2018/19 season against reigning champions Manchester City.
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The former Lorient star has more than played his part in some crucial Arsenal victories, but his time in north London has been littered with off-field controversies and question marks over his discipline.
Guendouzi has struggled to win over current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard using the midfielder sparingly since his appointment and sending him out on loan twice.
The first came in the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin where he struggled to make any kind of meaningful impact, but that has not been the case in the south of France where Guendouzi is one of the first names on the Marseille teamsheet.
The 22-year-old has played every single Ligue 1 game this term and has two goals and four assists to show for his effort.
Two of those assists came in the midfielder’s last outing against Lens after he was fouled inside the area before Dimitri Payet converted from the spot, later finding Cedric Bakambu with a delightful through ball to double his side’s advantage.
It is ironic that two assists for Guendouzi came during the same match-week that his parent club were bereft of any creativity during their dismal 0-0 home draw against bottom-placed Burnley.
Analysing Saliba’s Arsenal career, if you can call it that, presents an even stranger scenario.
The promising French central defender has been dubbed the ‘Kylian Mbappe’ of centre-backs and has played as such during his time with Marseille, keeping his 14th clean sheet in Marseille colours last Saturday.
Saliba is yet to keep a clean sheet in Arsenal colours, not through any fault of his own but instead because he is yet to even don the famous Red shirt in any kind of competitive fixture.
A player widely touted as the ‘next Varane’ in his home country has been reduced to outings in the Papa John’s EFL trophy with Arsenal’s U-21 side and a pre-season friendly at MK Dons.
The 20-year-old’s defensive prowess was on full display during the recent clash with Lens as he made a stellar last-ditch tackle on Seko Fofana before racing to his feet and blocking the second effort.
If Arteta can put the issues that have gone before both players to one side, the duo are undeniably useful weapons to have in the armoury.
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