Marcel Desailly might be one of the best defenders of all-time but his comments on Arsenal’s current back two will cause a stir among the Arsenal fans.
Desailly is well known for being a rock for France, Chelsea and AC Milan over the years and he’s rightfully regarded as one of the greatest ever.
Looking on now, Desailly gets to watch a French team full of quality at the back. That quality includes Arsenal’s William Saliba.
Saliba, of course, has been exceptional but when it comes to his partnership with Gabriel, Desailly has suggested it is the French defender who holds things together.
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Marcel Desailly claims Gabriel is better because of William Saliba
Speaking in a recent interview, Desailly suggested Saliba is ready for Real Madrid.
“Yes, absolutely. I hope William Saliba wears the Real Madrid shirt one day. He still has a contract with Arsenal for the next few years, but he’s young, so why not?,” Desailly said.
“The door is open, and all the best players want to play for Real Madrid at some point in their careers. The door is open. But not now. Not now. He is the best center-back in the world today.”
Adding further comment, he insisted that Gabriel cannot be in the conversation for the best because it is Saliba who holds it together.
“Who do I think is the best center-back in the world? It’s not Virgil van Dijk. We know his level and he’s a great defender, but at times he’s shown some weaknesses. That may also be linked to his previous injury.
“I would put William Saliba at the top. Even with some back issues, he’s among the candidates for the best center-back in the world. Saliba is definitely one of the very best. Gabriel is only there because of Saliba, so Gabriel is not among the candidates. Who else can we mention? There’s nobody at Manchester United. Chelsea don’t have anyone at that level. Inter Milan don’t either.”
Us Arsenal fans love Saliba and Gabriel in equal measure.
However, quite whether Desailly is correct in these comments will be a cause for conversation among supporters.
Clearly, Saliba is a class act and his performances with France this summer are showing it. But sometimes, defenders are made for each other and Gabriel definitely complements the Frenchman.
As for Saliba joining Real Madrid, that is the ultimate worry for Arsenal fans in the long-term.
For the here and now, Arsenal fans simply need to enjoy Saliba while he’s still here.
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