“He judged me on two and half matches,” said William Saliba when asked about Mikel Arteta. “I would have liked him to play me more but he told me I wasn’t ready.” Saliba’s readiness to play for Arsenal is open to debate, but now he and the similarly talented but equally curtailed Barcelona defender Jean-Clair Todibo are back in Ligue 1 with Nice, finally presented with the chance to realize their potential. Ligue 1 may have been the best place for both players all along.
Given his potential as a powerful, serene, technical defender, Saliba was unfortunate not to be given more gametime in London, especially considering the state of Arsenal’s defense. Saliba’s sense of rejection is understandable. However, having made only 36 appearances in senior football when he moved to Arsenal as a 19-year-old, his move away from France may have come too soon. Not that Saliba sees it that way. “When you feel ready you have to go,” he said. “I don’t think I left too early.”
Todibo’s undulating career also provides a cautionary tale for teenage talents in Ligue 1. Having impressed then-Toulouse boss Alain Casanova in pre-season in 2018, he was thrown into the first team as an 18-year-old after the team suffered a 4-0 defeat at Marseille on the opening day of the season. His senior career with Toulouse lasted just 10 games, but his impact was astonishing. With silky passing and intelligent defending reminiscent of Rio Ferdinand, and a thrilling ability to play his way out of tight spots akin to an in-form John Stones, the lanky Todibo immediately caught the eye of Europe’s elite.
Sensing an opportunity, Todibo refused to sign a professional deal with Toulouse, which forced a move and meant that the club would not receive a transfer fee – just a youth academy fee. Toulouse, whose finances rely on such sales, were furious. Casanova called it “treason”, while club president Olivier Sadran accused Todibo of not being invested in the team and exiled him from the first-team squad. However, Todibo got his move. Barcelona eventually signed the center-back when his youth deal expired in summer 2019, in a transfer executed by Eric Abidal.
Going to Camp Nou may have been a dream come true, but the move did little to help the raw and inexperienced Todibo’s development. Barely on the fringes of the senior side, he only made five appearances for Barcelona. Loan spells at Schalke and Benfica also proved largely fruitless. He failed to adapt to the Bundesliga and was hampered by an injury in Lisbon.
Having once been the most exciting young center-back in Europe, the 21-year-old Todibo arrived at Nice this January with just 27 senior games to his name. By comparison, Marquinhos had racked up nearly 150 senior games for Roma and PSG by his 22nd birthday; 22-year-old center-back Dayot Upamecano recently passed 100 Bundesliga outings for RB Leipzig; Aymeric Laporte managed more than 140 appearances for Athletic Club before turning 22. Todibo is already playing catch-up.
Saliba and Todibo both left Ligue 1 wide-eyed and underprepared, entering situations where regular first-team football and genuine progression would be difficult to find, stunting their growth. They were not alone. For every success story – say, Wesley Fofana’s move from Saint-Étienne to Leicester City last summer – there are several like Adam Ounas. The Algerian forward sought a move away from Bordeaux in 2017 after a thrilling breakthrough season but his career stalled sitting on Napoli’s bench. Already 24 and on loan at Crotone, his chance may have evaporated.
Saliba and Todibo are now back in France and, even though they have only played a handful of games together at the heart of the Nice defence, both have started to flourish as if they never left. In Ligue 1, they will be able to make mistakes without recrimination, gather crucial experience as starters and leaders in a competitive division, and hone their abilities in a league renowned for its world class coaching. Playing consistent football in France could help them realize their potential, before they make smart moves when they are more equipped to do so.
For Nice, on the surface little has changed since Patrick Vieira was sacked in December. They still struggle to create chances under interim coach Adrian Ursea. The Romanian’s 18-game spell has produced fewer points, wins, and goals than Vieira’s 16 games in charge this season. But, five matches in, the Saliba-Todibo pairing has started to drag a talented Nice squad in the right direction.
Their positive and progressive passing from deep has energized Nice’s use of possession, while their alert and astute defending has stemmed a steady flow of chances. Their 2-1 win over Rennes at the weekend showed their importance. Even though Rennes were able to score after Saliba misplaced a pass, both players were impressive in the victory. They also looked good in defeat at PSG, a game that Nice were unfortunate to lose. And a similarly imposing display, especially from Todibo, helped Nice beat a stubborn Angers 3-0 last month in just their second outing together.
Now more than ever, Ligue 1 is driven by player sales. It is difficult for a young player to refuse the chance to vastly increase their salary and play for one of the world’s biggest clubs. But, as Saliba and Todibo underline, poor decisions and bad luck often mean careers suffer in the longer term.
It will take time, but Saliba and Todibo may prove to be the lucky ones. Ligue 1 has again presented both men with a chance to realize their potential. Saliba may have been disappointed with Arteta’s decision, but the Arsenal coach’s reasoning may have been correct. Saliba may not have been ready. After a meaningful stay in Ligue 1, that conversation might go a little differently next time, for both him and Todibo.
(The Guardian)
