According to Metro, William Saliba's journey to potentially becoming one of the world's best defenders hinges on one key aspect, according to former Premier League star Yohan Cabaye.
The Arsenal defender, set to feature for France in their Euro 2024 quarter-final against Portugal, has garnered attention for his stellar performances over the past two seasons in north London. Initially facing uncertainty after his £27m transfer from Saint-Etienne in 2019, Saliba spent the subsequent three seasons on loan in France before integrating into Mikel Arteta's squad for the 2022-23 campaign. Since then, his partnership with Gabriel has solidified Arsenal's defense, making them a formidable team in England.
Saliba's impact extends to the international stage, where he has featured prominently in France's Euro 2024 campaign, contributing to three clean sheets in four matches under Didier Deschamps' guidance.
Speaking about Saliba's progress, Cabaye, who played alongside him in France, acknowledges his former teammate's defensive prowess but suggests a pathway to further improvement: "Is William Saliba the best defender in the world right now? I don’t know. But I’ve known him for a long time now. I knew him at Saint-Etienne, and you could see the potential there."
Cabaye continues to praise Saliba's attributes, highlighting his strength in one-on-one duels and his technical ability on the ball, which facilitates initiating attacks effectively. However, Cabaye believes there's room for enhancement: "He’ll be a complete defender when he’s able to score more goals, from set-pieces. Sometimes his headers aren’t quite at the top level."
Despite this, Cabaye remains effusive in his praise, dubbing Saliba "a very, very, very good defender" and asserting his status as the top French player currently in the Premier League.
Looking ahead, if France triumph over Portugal in their upcoming quarter-final clash, they will potentially face either hosts Germany or Spain in the semi-finals of Euro 2024. This sets the stage for Saliba to further demonstrate his defensive prowess on a grander scale, solidifying his position among football's elite defenders.