Jaden Dixon signed for Arsenal’s academy earlier this month and has been impressed with first-team stars William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes ever since.
Being a centre-back himself, it’s no surprise that Dixon has been drawn to the level that Saliba and Gabriel operate at.
The Arsenal academy’s new signing isn’t just seeing what we see, however, as he trains alongside the Gunners’ star duo.
Several Arsenal players train with high intensity, and Saliba and Gabriel are two of them, as Dixon just revealed in an interview.
Imagine this: You can sign one of Gabriel Magalhaes or William Saliba to a lifetime Arsenal contract… Who are you picking?
Arsenal academy talent Jaden Dixon has been impressed with Gabriel and William Saliba in training
Arsenal beat off interest from Chelsea to sign Dixon from Stoke City’s academy.
North London isn’t new for Dixon, who was a member of Tottenham’s academy before he made the move to Stoke in 2023.
What is new, however, is being exposed to players of the calibre of Arsenal’s first team, as he explained when speaking to Transfermarkt.
“It’s a bit crazy being able to watch the best players in the world train,” Dixon said, responding to a question about Saliba and Gabriel.
Have Arsenal ever had a better defensive partnership than William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes? If yes, tell us who!
“So seeing how seriously they take training and how they try to drive the standard of the whole session is really good for me.
“It’s nice to see something that I want to obviously be involved in as I’m getting older and become one of the mainstays like them lot in the team.”
Commenting again on Gabriel and Saliba, the 18-year-old singled out the ‘dominance’ the defensive duo show in training.
“Seeing that physical dominance and even the calmness on the ball is really good for me,” he said, adding, “So I just want to keep on learning, and hopefully I’ll get to that level.”
Gabriel and Saliba are two of the best defenders in the world for a reason, with it unsurprising that they’re so committed in training.
Arsenal signed ‘one of the best centre-halves in the country’ with Jaden Dixon transfer
There are few players better for Dixon to learn from at Arsenal as he continues to develop in the academy.
The teenager is well on his way to following in Saliba and Gabriel’s footsteps, as Stoke’s former academy director Gareth Owen revealed when speaking to Radio Stoke, as per Stoke Live.
“He’s one of the best centre-halves in the country at his age group and England,” Owen said just before Dixon’s move to Arsenal was confirmed.
He added, “he has got the ability deserving to be at that level.”
Life at Hale End has started well for the youngster, who has already made two appearances for the U21s.
Arsenal’s U21s need all the help they can get this season, and Dixon will hope that he can provide just that.
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