WILLIAM SALIBA INTERVIEW: ARSENAL STAR CONFIRMS AMBITION TO SWEEP ALL FOUR COMPETITIONS IN 2026
William Saliba is dreaming big. With Arsenal top of the Premier League, find out why he believes they can win four trophies in 2026.
William Saliba says Arsenal's busy January shows they're getting better and they're going for multiple trophies this season.
Arsenal's still in four competitions as the year turns over. They've got a League Cup semi-final against Chelsea, the FA Cup is about to start, and they're leading both the Premier League and Champions League tables.
Saliba thinks this packed schedule proves Arsenal's heading in the right direction.
Yeah, if we've got loads of matches, it means we're doing well, so we need to keep it up. Hopefully, the injured guys will be back in January to help us. We're doing fine; we're still in every competition, so we just need to keep pushing.
This attitude seems key to what Arsenal wants to achieve. They have nine games in January, so they'll be trying to test their strength, but Saliba thinks recent seasons have prepared them for it.
When asked if they could win more than one competition, the French defender was clear about Arsenal's goals.
Yes, for sure, because we think we can win every competition we're in. We've been close in the Premier League for the last three seasons, and last season we got to the Champions League and Carabao Cup semi-finals, so we know we can win anything. We just have to prove it on the pitch and start winning some trophies now.
This drive comes from what they've learned. Arsenal's been close to beating Manchester City and Liverpool in title races and gotten back into the later stages of European competition, but they haven't won any big silverware.
Saliba says just improving isn't enough anymore.
Of course, we want to win every competition. We know we're in the semi-finals now, so there are three games left for us, and we have to do the job against Chelsea. It's going to be a big game, a big derby, so we need to keep going. We know we are close and have to not repeat last season.
The Carabao Cup might be the first chance to make that belief real, and Saliba is clear about how important it is.
At the end, it's still a trophy, and when you retire, you count your trophies. The Carabao Cup counts—and we're in the semi-final, so we want to win it, just like every competition we enter.
The team's still feeling good, but Saliba says they're staying focused and realistic. Arsenal's at the top of the Premier League, almost through to the Champions League knockouts, and about to play Chelsea for a spot at Wembley.
The mood is good, but we know it's still December, and things can change fast in football, so we have to stay focused, believe in ourselves, and keep working hard because what matters is at the end, when we're holding the trophies, not before.
Mikel Arteta's squad is saying the same thing—belief is growing along with expectations.
For Saliba, the goal now is simple: Arsenal needs to back up their ambitions with actions.
WHAT IS THE "AURA" MIKEL ARTETA SEES IN BUKAYO SAKA’S RECENT PERFORMANCES?
"He shifts momentum." Read Mikel Arteta’s full analysis of Bukayo Saka’s importance ahead of the crucial West Ham showdown.
Mikel Arteta sees something special in Bukayo Saka’s presence on the pitch, an “aura” that he believes could drive Arsenal toward a Premier League title, just three games away from ending a 22-year wait.
During Saka’s recent absence with an Achilles injury, Arsenal managed only a single win in five matches. His return, however, seemed to breathe new life into the squad. Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener before scoring himself in a solid 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
More crucially, Saka netted the decisive goal that helped Arsenal secure a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, booking their first Champions League final appearance since 2006.
Since making his debut for the Gunners seven years ago, the England international now carries the hopes of pushing Arsenal for vital points, starting with a key clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium, followed by matches against Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away on the season’s final day.
When asked about Saka’s importance, Arteta highlighted the growing role he plays not just within the team but also in how opponents see him. There’s a clear presence, a certain quality that sets him apart. According to Arteta, Saka can shift a game’s momentum at any time, and instilling that kind of respect or even fear in the opposition is invaluable.
Arteta also touched on managing Saka’s comeback after injury, emphasising the idea of channelling fresh energy and motivation into his performance rather than rushing him back too soon. He described it as a privilege to have a player like Saka, someone who embodies core values and principles, both on and off the pitch. Beyond the football, there’s a human connection that makes working with him rewarding. What Saka showed, especially in the recent Champions League semifinal, was nothing short of remarkable.
Alongside Saka, Declan Rice has also become a pivotal figure since his £100 million move from West Ham last year. Now 27, Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season when Arsenal faces his former club on Sunday. His impact has been significant, earning him runner-up in the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award behind Bruno Fernandes.
Arteta praised Rice as a key leader and a major force for the team, underlining the powerful role he plays as Arsenal chase success this season.
WHY DID JURRIEN TIMBER’S "SIMPLE" INJURY TURN INTO A SEASON-ENDING MEDICAL MYSTERY?
After reaching the Champions League final, Arsenal face a fitness race for key stars ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are running out of time to get fit before the season ends – a tough setback for Arsenal right now.
Both have been out for weeks, dealing with foot and ankle injuries. The hope was always that they’d be back for the final stretch, giving Arsenal a boost when it matters most. This week, Merino at least made it back onto the training pitch, but Arteta has confirmed neither he nor Timber will be involved in Sunday’s big match against West Ham.
Arteta said he has no new injury problems elsewhere, but for Merino or Timber to play before the end of the season, their recoveries would have to be almost perfect. Timber’s situation in particular has turned out to be more complicated than they first thought.
“That’s probably been the hardest part for everyone. For me, for the player,” Arteta said. “We really didn’t think it would take this long, and he’s still not ready.”
Meanwhile, things are going well for Arsenal on the pitch. They’ve pulled five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and they just beat Atletico Madrid, booking a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades.
There’s still a twist, though. Manchester City play Brentford first this weekend, and they still have a game in hand. Even so, if Arsenal win their last three matches, the title is theirs.
Next up is West Ham, who are fighting to avoid relegation and could easily trip Arsenal up. Arteta knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups. “After the Atletico win, I was completely caught up in the emotion. You could feel what it meant to everyone fans and the staff. But straight after, my focus went to West Ham,” he said.
“We talked as a team about how we’ve earned the chance to be in the final, and we have time to get ready, but right now, all our focus and all the details need to go into West Ham.”
