William Saliba is in Germany with Didier Deschamps’ France squad this summer (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal icon Thierry Henry has heaped praise on William Saliba, claiming the youngster was ‘the best centre-back in the Premier League’ last season.
Saliba shone at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s defence as Arsenal finished as runners-up in the Premier League for a second year on the bounce behind Manchester City.
The Gunners ended the season with the best defence record in the English top flight, conceding just 29 goals in total across the campaign, and Saliba won plenty of plaudits for providing an assured presence alongside Gabriel Magalhaes at the back.
Such was his contribution, the 23-year-old France international has been widely tipped for inclusion in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
It’s been a whirlwind few years for Saliba, who was sent on three separate loan spells in Ligue 1 before establishing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet over the last two seasons.
But Arsenal always had high hopes for the centre-half and Henry, arguably the greatest player in the club’s history, had been hugely impressed by his fellow countryman’s meteoric rise.
‘You go to any town in and around Paris and you will find players. It’s a state of mind, it’s a way of living,’ Henry told the Premier League’s official YouTube channel while discussing a selection of the division’s stars competing at Euro 2024.
Saliba was a rock at the back for Arsenal last season (Picture: Getty)
‘When you’re in a one-vs-one with him, you’re like, “Okay, you’re not going anywhere, big man!”.
‘I think this year he was, for me, the best centre-back in the league.’
Henry will no doubt have been keen to include Saliba in his squad for the Olympic Games in Paris later this summer.
Saliba was the best centre-back in the Premier League last term, says Henry (Picture: Getty)
In the end, the decision was made to leave out the Arsenal defender given he could play a key role for France at Euro 2024.
However, the latest reports from across the Channel suggest France boss Didier Deschamps is planning to start with a centre-back pairing of Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate in Germany.
It comes after Saliba put in a man-of-the-match display in France’s final warm-up game as Deschamps were held to a goalless draw with Canada at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux.
Saliba produced a man-of-the-match performance in France’s final warm-up game for Euro 2024 (Picture: Getty)
Former France World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf has been critical of Deschamps’ handling of Saliba, recently admitting that he ‘didn’t understand’ why the Arsenal defender was being snubbed.
Asked to identify France’s weakest area ahead of the Euros, he told ESPN: ‘I would say defence right now. It used to be strong. But it’s like Didier Deschamps is wondering who is the best duo at centre-back.
‘He tried something else [for France’s recent defeat to Germany].
‘In the middle of the park I would say we have a list of fantastic players, how they are going to match together is going to be a question mark but the talent is there. When you see the names of the players in the middle of the park for France, it’s crazy.
‘Didier has to find the right four players to play as defenders. When he does so, we will be very strong.’
When it was suggested that Saliba was France’s strongest defender, Leboeuf replied: ‘Yeah, I agree.
‘That’s a real question for me. I don’t understand why Saliba isn’t playing all the time.
‘He showed to the world that he is the best defender in the world right now, well, the best French defender right now playing for a big club.
‘I don’t know why he’s not playing there. He’s absolutely tremendous. He should deserve the chance to show it at that level.’
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