Gary Lineker has tipped an Arsenal player to become one of the best in the Premier League.
The pundit was building his best Premier League XI on the Match of the Day Top 10 Podcast, and he made an interesting claim about William Saliba in the process.
According to Lineker, Saliba isn’t quite in the Premier League’s best XI at the moment, but the pundit does think that in two or three years’ time, Saliba could well be the best defender in the Premier League ahead of Virgil van Dijk.
William Saliba can be one of the best in the league says Gary Lineker
Lineker spoke about the £27m defender and his place among the best defenders in the league.
“I think in two years’ time or in three years’ time, Saliba might be in this team. It might be at the expense of Van Dijk who is getting older, and Saliba is still quite young isn’t he?” Lineker said.
Saliba is already there
Lineker is right, Saliba will be one of the best defenders in the league in a few years’ time, but, there is an argument to make that he’s already there.
The Frenchman has been absolutely dominant this season. There’s a reason Arsenal barely concede a goal these days, and that’s due to Saliba.
Saliba’s absence towards the end of last season is what made the difference in the title race, and his presence in the middle of the defence almost turned the tide in Arsenal’s favour this time.
Saliba is only young, and, as Lineker says he has all of the potential in the world, but the scary thing is that it’s reallt not ridiculous to suggest that he’s already up there with Van Dijk in the conversation to be the best centre-back in the league.