Darren Bent believes something Andrea Berta has just done at Arsenal is ‘massive’ for the North London club.
The Gunners have endured a mixed start to the new season despite spending significantly in the transfer window, with Mikel Arteta’s team already five points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Berta spent £250 million on eight new players, and it’s not yet clear whether these new signings will be successful as a collective.
That said, no one can doubt that the Italian’s work was astute over the summer, and he appears to be continuing these impressive exploits after the window has closed.
Darren Bent says William Saliba contract news is ‘massive’
William Saliba is set to sign a new five-year contract at Arsenal.
Berta has been locked in negotiations with the Frenchman’s representatives in recent months, and these talks have accelerated in the last few weeks, since the window closed.
Saliba has had interest from Real Madrid, but he was only intent on remaining in North London for the foreseeable future.
The centre-back will become the fourth player to commit their future to Arsenal since Berta took over, following Gabriel Magalhaes, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.
Speaking on talkSPORT, former Premier League striker Bent described the contract news as ‘massive’.
“Massive,” he said.
“I mean, the partnership between him and Gabriel has been fantastic. What I will say is though, and I love him, but you have seen, all of a sudden, that Arsenal have been able to cope with Mosquera coming, when Saliba was out, and he was very good.
“Now, long-term, we don’t know what that looks like, but short-term, Mosquera has been very good.
“But those two as a partnership have been brilliant. I do think Saliba struggled at times last season without Gabriel. I thought Gabriel maybe is the leader in that back line. I thought it was Saliba that was and he is the Rolls-Royce footballer that could bring it out and can defend well, but I thought last season when Gabriel wasn’t there and he had to play with Kiwior, I think he struggled.
“I think he really struggled but no, the fact that Arsenal managed to retain him, you go ‘yeah that’s fair play to Arsenal’, because you’re right. If he left and said I’m going to Madrid, how can I argue with that, you are talking about the most successful side ever, the biggest club side on the planet.”
William Saliba didn’t struggle without Gabriel Magalhaes
Arsenal got marginally worse defensively during Gabriel’s injury lay-off at the backend of last season.
However, that is simply because the Brazilian’s replacement, Jakub Kiwior, wasn’t at the same level. It has nothing to do with Saliba dropping off.
In fact, Saliba rose to the challenge and ended last term in spectacular form. The France international produced two monstrous displays against Real Madrid in the Champions League, whilst performing well against Paris Saint-Germain over both legs.
The 24-year-old arguably produced some of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt during this period.
While the Gunners look better as a team with Gabriel in the side, Saliba is so good that his partner’s absence seemingly doesn’t affect him.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
