Arsenal legend Kevin Campbell has shared his thoughts on on Gunners centre-back duo Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.
The Arsenal icon, speaking on Highbury Squad, noted how the Brazil international “loves to go after people” and “loves that fight”.
Meanwhile, Saliba is “cool, calm” and “collected” if an opposition player tries to get rough with him.
“You get rough with Saliba, he’s cool, calm, collected. He’s physical, he’s quick, he’s big, he’s strong,” said Campbell.
“If you try and get physical with Gabriel, oh my god, he loves it! He loves that fight, he loves that battle.
“But again, the balance of the two, Gabriel’s the aggressor, he loves to go after people, he loves to put his body on them.”
Gabriel and Saliba complement each other at Arsenal – TBR View
Gabriel and Saliba have been key for Arsenal over the past 18 months or so, the duo forming a solid defensive partnership that has taken them to the next level.
The 25-year-old Brazilian joined the Gunners from Lille for a reported £27million back in 2020 and has made 137 competitive appearances for Mikel Arteta’s side.
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Saliba also joined Arsenal from a French team – Saint-Etienne, in his case – for £27million. His move came a year earlier than Gabriel’s, but his debut only came at the start of last season.
The Frenchman has 52 Arsenal appearances under his belt since making his bow in the 2022-23 Premier League season opener against Crystal Palace.
While Gabriel pretty much hit the ground running with the Gunners, Saliba needed a few years out on loan to develop into the world-class player he is today.
Their styles of play and personalities complement each other and have helped Arsenal become the title-challenging team they are today.