"The future has been built around him, he's that good" - Martin Keown heaps praise on 'Rolls Royce' Arsenal star
Martin Keown has heaped praise on French defender William Saliba, acknowledging his doggedness in making his way to the top at Arsenal. Saliba has been a key player for Gunners in recent seasons, forming a formidable partnership with Gabriel Magalhães at the heart of defense.
However, Saliba didn’t have it easy breaking into Arsenal’s starting XI. After joining the north London club from Saint-Étienne in 2019, the Frenchman was immediately loaned back to the Ligue 1 side to continue his development.
Although Saliba returned to the Emirates in the summer of 2020, he didn't get enough game time and was loaned to OGC Nice in January 2021. He returned to the Gunners that summer, but was sent on another season-long loan, this time to Marseille.
In what was a turning point for Saliba, Marseille turned out to be his last club for a loan spell as he became a regular starter for the Gunners from the start of the 2022/23 campaign. Since then, he has been stalwart in Arsenal’s defense.
During a recent discussion on talkSPORT, Gunners legend Martin Keown weighed in on Saliba’s rise at the north London club. Keown said:
"Well firstly, you don't normally go on loan for three years when you arrive at a top-level club. He could've been forgiven for thinking maybe he wasn't a part of the future at Arsenal. But instead, the future has been built around him, he's that good."
"I do think the last two or three games he's dropped a little bit in an Arsenal shirt. That's just a confidence thing. Gabriel is doing equally as well around him, so it's about partnerships. But he's a Rolls Royce in the way he plays."
In Saliba’s first season as a starter, the Gunners conceded 43 goals in the Premier League, which was the joint third-fewest. In the following campaign (2023/24), they conceded the fewest goals (29) in the Premier League.
Furthermore, Saliba is the fastest player to reach 50 league wins for the Gunners. He achieved the feat in their EPL opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers this season.
"He is at the top of the tree" – Martin Keown says Arsenal star ranks among Premier League best defenders in recent years
Martin Keown played down William Saliba’s recent loss of form and claimed that he is still one of the top defenders in the English top flight. Keown said:
"Listen, this guy plays so many games. He's got to 50 Premier League wins quicker than any Arsenal player, that just says it all. There's been some top defenders and some really good eras in recent times and there he is at the top of the tree."
So far, Saliba has made 122 appearances for the Gunners and has scored seven goals and provided two assists. The Frenchman will return to action with the north London side on Tuesday, April 1.
