Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has a defender in his ranks brimming with self-confidence.
Arsenal star William Saliba believes that he has the quality to become the best defender on the planet. The Frenchman made a huge impact after breaking through into the Gunners’ first team last season, and part of his rapid rise is credited to studying Liverpool ace Virgil van Dijk.
Saliba’s time at the Emirates Stadium was a tough exercise in patience for the first three years, when he was sent on a trio of season-long loan spells back to Ligue 1 after completing a £27million move from Saint-Etienne
A full campaign with Marseille put Saliba’s name on the European map, earning him a call-up to the French national team. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta welcomed him back to north London with open arms last summer, and the 22-year-old took to the Premier League like a duck to water.
Part of Saliba’s relatively easy transition may boil down to the time he spent studying Liverpool’s Van Dijk. “I still watch him!” he told The Daily Mail.
I really like his quality in one-against-one [situations]. His calmness, his composure and his long balls as well. He has everything and, for me, he was a good defender to learn from. I think he was – for two or three years – the best defender in the world.”
When pressed on whether he could follow in the Dutchman’s footsteps and set himself apart from the rest, Saliba responded: “Of course I have the quality, but that means nothing. You have to work hard to go to this level. So I’m not close to this level but I will give everything to maybe one day become the best defender in the world
