Arsenal have a number of young players on their books at the moment who could be headed to the top.
The likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are incredibly exciting players with the brightest of futures, but perhaps the most promising player on the Gunners’ books is William Saliba.
The 22-year-old is already one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and speaking on The Game Football Podcast, Gregor Robertson has claimed that Saliba has what it takes to become the best in the world.
Robertson was discussing who the best players in the world are and if there are any centre-backs who can come into that conversation.
Interestingly, Robertson named Saliba as the player he thinks could eventually become one of the best players in the world, claiming that he has a Virgil van Dijk-type quality about him.
Saliba can become one of the best
Robertson shared his verdict on the £27m man.
“I think someone like Saliba could come into that conversation, he combines this towering strength with this elegance which is very rare,” Robertson said.
“You have to be exceptional and so much better, if a striker is impactful they’re scoring 30 a season. A defender has to be like Van Dijk was at his peak there, on a different plane, imperious, that’s rare. I think Sailba could get to that point, but he’s not there yet.”
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Has it all
It takes a lot to be regarded as one of the best players in the world if you’re a centre-back, but Saliba is cut from that sort of cloth.
Saliba can dominate a game on his own, and not many defenders have that ability.
He’s brilliant on the ball and he’s utterly dominant off of it, there’s so much to like about Saliba as a player.
Don’t be shocked if the Arsenal star does become a genuine Ballon d’Or contender at some point.