Arsenal youngster William Saliba admits the Gunners attempted to get him to return early from a loan at Saint-Etienne last term.
The 19-year-old was signed in July 2019, but spent the past season on loan at the club from where he was secured.
The defender then arrived this past summer at Arsenal, but was sidelined by manager Mikel Arteta.
"They [Arsenal] wanted me to come back in January [last year], I didn't, I stayed in St Etienne," Saliba told L'Equipe, via Get French Football.
"After that, the fans were really looking forward to my arrival, I certainly didn't imagine that it would happen like this.
"Aside from that, it is football, I have learned that nothing is certain, you can be there, in your game, and then things can go south.
"I took a lot of experience from it, at least I will be ready for the future."
