Arsenal defender William Saliba has claimed he is one of the best defenders in the world, but still thinks there is work to do to get to the very top.
It comes as the Frenchman prepares himself for Arsenal’s clash with PSG, where he will be all too familiar with the opposition.
William Saliba took on the Parisian outfit several times during his loan spells in Ligue 1, which included some impressive performances against his old friend Kylian Mbappe.
Plenty has changed since then, with Arsenal taking on a different type of PSG team, one that can create many different problems.
While a place in the Champions League final awaits, plenty of build-up has surrounded just how good the players are before their individual battles, with Saliba doing his own talking on that before the match.
William Saliba claims he is one of the best defenders in the world
Arsenal fans have been raving about the performances of Saliba for some time now, with the star making quite an impact in the team since making his full debut.
It comes as little surprise that Real Madrid have been linked with a transfer for Saliba, given those recent performances.
With two years left on the Frenchman’s current deal, Arsenal are looking at a new contract for Saliba, given his importance to the team.
The 24-year-old has been lauded as one of the best in the world, something he seemingly agrees with, but won’t call himself the number one star at centre-back.
Speaking to Telefoot, the defender said on those claims: “I think I am one of the best, but not yet the best defender in the world. I can still become much better one day, I hope to improve.”
It shows the confidence that Saliba has to back himself as one of the best, which has been a talking point as of late.
However, the defender also showed that he isn’t oblivious to the areas he can improve upon to make himself even better.
If he can get better, then it spells good news for Arsenal, so long as they can keep him on a long-term deal.
William Saliba must cut out errors at Arsenal to be the best defender
While Saliba has certainly been a top player for Arsenal, there has been a recent problem creeping into his game.
That being the errors and sloppy mistakes leading to goals, two of which have come in the last three games.
Against Real Madrid, Saliba lost concentration on the ball and allowed Vinicius Jr to pull one back for Los Blancos.
Fast forward to Crystal Palace, and Saliba gave away the ball, leading to a stunning equaliser from Jean-Philippe Mateta.
It’s an issue that’s starting to creep in and one that Saliba has to eradicate, especially in the big moments, to be up there among the best.
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