Despite not winning a Premier League title in either season, the North London club were pipped to the title on both occasions by Manchester City, Arsenal have improved drastically over the past two seasons.
At just 23 years of age, the Frenchman has a case to be named as the best centre-back in the Premier League but the former Saint Etienne defender believes that another name remains the best.
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City at Anfield on March 10, 2024 in Live...
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Saiba on the best defender in the country
Speaking to French outlet L’Equipe ahead of EURO 2024 in Germany, the defender has been speaking about other defenders in the division and believes Virgil Van Dijk remains ‘the boss’.
The Liverpool defender has been a mainstay at Anfield and has lifted the Premier League and Champions League titles during his time in Merseyside.
“Van Dijk has aura,” Saliba said. “He’s the boss. He commands everything. You can feel he’s scaring strikers away. And I’m starting to feel the same way.”
This season for Liverpool, the Dutch defender looked back to his best after a shaky campaign last season which saw the club miss out on Champions League football altogether.
Saliba approaching Van Dijk’s level
The French defender has become a leader for the North London club and is starting to possess the aura that Van Dijk had in his pomp.
Erling Haaland, for example, hardly had a sniff against Saliba in both encounters between Arsenal and City last season as the Gunners took four points off of the Citizens.
On his progress to becoming a leader in the dressing room, he said: “I’m not the guy who talks much, but I talk more and more. I’m making progress on that point. In defense at Arsenal, I’m one of the leaders.“
Saliba has the ability and the potential to become a Premier League great. He just needs a major trophy at the Gunners to prove that point.
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