Arsenal defender William Saliba is on track to be the best defender in football, according to Rio Ferdinand.
When Arsenal signed William Saliba back in 2019, many thought he would come straight to the club and become a key staple of the team.
Well, it didn't work out that way as Saliba was loaned out to Ligue 1 sides Saint-Étienne (2019/20), Nice (2020/21) and then Marseille, fans weren't sure exactly where William fit in Mikel Arteta's plans, if at all.
We all remember the outrage when Arteta sent him back on loan when it seemed logical to give him a chance, and some thought we would never see Sailba put on an Arsenal shirt again. But as it turns out, Arteta was vindicated in giving Saliba first-team football. He won Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in 2021/22 and was also named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year that season with Marseille.
Now look at what Saliba has become. One could say he is in the category of the best defenders in football and for former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand, he think's its only a matter of time until he is.
‘I think he’s [Saliba] going to be the best defender in the world,’ Ferdinand said on Rio Ferdinand Presents via Metro. ‘Saliba will be the best defender in the world when Virgil van Dijk gives up that post. As soon as that happens, it could be in a year, it could be three years. Whenever it’s going to be I don’t see anyone else taking over. Saliba, he looks imposing. Saliba looked clean, confident, classy, strong, elegant. Everything you’d want in a centre half."
William Saliba
Ferdinand was referencing Saliba's colossal performance against United midweek in which the Frenchman was a cut above the rest.
He kept Rasmus Hojlund quiet, so too Joshua Zirkzee as he dealt with anything United threw at him with authority...and that was without his partner in crime in Gabriel next to him.
Since being put into the first team by Arteta, Saliba has continued to improve, with dominating displays coming thick and fast. He has already been named in the Premier League's Team of the Year twice, and we get the feeling there are many more to come.
From a young talent set to take the football world by storm to now being on the doorstep of world-class status, the rise of Saliba simply has to be admired.
And we get the sense he's only getting started at Arsenal.