Arsenal could sign Saliba 2.0 in "one of the most talented CBs of his generation" - opinion

Bosch in the KNVK Beker, and while he continued to come in and out of the side for the rest of the campaign, he has been ever-present this season, starting 100% of the club's Eredivisie games.

He was even given the captain's armband last month when Steven Bergwijn was substituted partway through a Europa League clash. Then he was made the club's youngest starting captain ever against AEK Athens this month, further highlighting the immense maturity that the 17-year-old exudes.

This level of calm competence is reminiscent of Salbia since his introduction into Arteta's side, and while he wasn't quite as young as the Ajax prodigy, he still acted well beyond his years ever since signing for the club in 2019.

Now, if he was just mature beyond his years and a reliable young defender, that would still be impressive, but when you look at his underlying numbers, you start to see why Öztürk believes he will one day be sold for over €100m.

According to FBref, which measures players in the world's next best 14 competitions, the "insane" youngster, as dubbed by U23 Scout Antonio Mango, sits in the top 1% of centre-backs for shot-creating actions and successful take-ons, the top 2% for attempted passes, blocks and progressive carries, and the top 3% for expected assists and so much more.

Jorrel Hato FBref Scouting Report: Leagues similar to Eredivisie

Stat

Percentile

Shot-Creating Actions

1%

Successful Take-Ons

1%

Passes Attempted

2%

Progressive Carries

2%

Blocks

2%

Expected Assisted Goals

3%

Pass Completion %

3%

Progressive Passes

5%

Progressive Passes Rec

5%

Tackles

10%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

11%

1% = exceptional, 99% = poor

At the end of the day, Arsenal are already blessed with an imposing defensive unit, with Saliba and co possessing the same ball-playing and carrying aptitude as Hato possesses. But as they say, the best time to sign players is when you're at the top, and adding a player the calibre of the Ajax sensation can only make them better.

Post a Comment

0 Comments