The signing of William Saliba for Arsenal always looked like a strange one, they were desperate for defensive reinforcements but spent money on a player who would immediately be loaned out again.
It’s almost starting to look like the long-term planning may pay off, with the defender now getting rave reviews for St Etienne after an injury plagued start to the season.
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His side have just reached the final of the Coupe de France, and he’s been praised for a “masterful” performance which should be highly encouraging for The Gunners:
Match magistral de William Saliba qui a toujours défendu debout, avec puissance et justesse. Et son interception puis remontée du ballon est déterminante dans le but de Boudebouz #ASSESRFC
— Bilel Ghazi (@BilelGhazi) March 5, 2020
Not only was he praised for his defensive performance and the power he showed, but he was also credited with making a big interception and playing the ball to set up the late winner too.
It’s important not to get too carried away, he’s still only 18 and only has 27 senior league appearances to his name but there are signs that he could finally be the answer to Arsenal’s defensive issues.
It will be interesting to see if he sticks around at The Emirates next season or if they feel another loan spell might be best at this point.