Marcel Desailly has admitted that William Saliba has really made him change his mind on him, having been so impressed by the Arsenal defender this season.
The French legend claims that in the past, he was unsure about the 24-year-old and being the future of Les Bleus’ defence.
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However, the Arsenal defender has quickly become one of the best defenders in the world, and Desailly has said he got it wrong with him.
The former Premier League defender has been speaking about Saliba and just how impressed he has been by him at Arsenal.
Marcel Desailly is now a huge fan of William Saliba at Arsenal
Marcel Desailly claims that he is now a huge fan of William Saliba at Arsenal and thinks he’s one of the best defenders in the world.
The French legend thinks that Saliba has now surpassed Virgil van Dijk as the better defender after adding consistency to his game at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking to Get French Football News, Desailly said: “It’s true that I wasn’t convinced when he started. I wasn’t pro-Saliba. But I’m really pleased, genuinely. He has shown his ability to perform consistently and has remained clear in his job.
“Today, he is showing that he is one of the best defenders, perhaps better than Virgil van Dijk, who is past his peak. He is among the best right now. We need to give him four or five years in the system, without injuries.”
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The ex-Chelsea player also believes that having Gabriel Magalhaes alongside him has really helped, and the pair have formed an ‘excellent’ partnership.
“He has silenced the criticisms of those who didn’t believe in him and found that consistency with an Arsenal team that needed a leader. His partnership with Gabriel is excellent,” he added.
Saliba is expected to be a key player at the World Cup for Didier Deschamps’ team, and he will be hoping he can help France to win a third World Cup title this summer.
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