‘Already a top player’: Mikel Arteta wowed by Arsenal player who has ‘adapted’

Mikel Arteta has been left wowed by William Saliba for Arsenal in pre-season and he shared that he has shown ‘huge potential’, as he told Football London.

Arsenal rounded off their pre-season tour of America by thrashing Chelsea 4-0, with Arteta loving how Saliba has ‘adapted’.

For the past two seasons, the 21-year-old has been loaned out by his parent club, with fans crying for him to finally be given that chance to earn senior minutes.

Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Despite being purchased in 2019, Saliba is yet to make his senior debut and has even donned a France cap before making that official Arsenal appearance.

It’s a positive pre-season so far for those in north London, as Arteta shared his thoughts on Saliba, who he thinks is ‘already a top player’.

“I am really pleased to see the way he is playing, the way he has adapted to the team, the maturity that he’s shown at 21-years-old, carry on doing it,” said Arteta.

“We will keep developing him, he has a huge potential, he is already a top player and we have to make him even better.

“He looked ready to me (on previously claiming there aren’t many 21-year-old CBs ready to play in the Premier League).”

Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images

SALIBA, WHITE & GABRIEL…

Without a doubt, the trio are the top three centre-backs at the club, it’s just a case of what duo Arteta will push for heading into the new Premier League season.

Someone like White has less defensive capabilities than the other two, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Englishman is the one benched.

It needs to be remembered that both Gabriel and White didn’t start last season – when they lost their opening three games – but from thereafter, they were paired together and were outstanding… for most parts.

Will Arteta break that up? If so, it’s a risk. Arsenal didn’t secure Champions League football for a number of reasons from their lack of depth, their end-of-season capitulation to lack of firepower.

If he feels their defenders were a big reason behind that, then it finally opens the door for Saliba to earn those Arsenal minutes he has been craving for.
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