France legend Marcel Desailly has publicly apologized to countryman William Saliba.
The Arsenal defender has developed a formidable partnership with Gabriel, recently surpassing John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho in clean sheets since 2000, sitting only behind Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
Saliba had been loaned to Ligue 1 teams three times before finally getting his chance at the Emirates, and he is now in a position to lead Arsenal towards their first league title in 22 years.
Desailly Reflects on Saliba's Rise
Desailly, a World Cup and Champions League winner with 116 French caps, initially hesitated to fully praise the 24-year-old.
However, Saliba has since earned 31 caps for the national team and made 160 appearances, receiving accolades from all corners of the footballing world, including Desailly.
Speaking to Card Player, he expressed, “I have to apologize to William Saliba. I looked at him when he first joined Arsenal and I didn’t see him becoming a world-class player - that was a huge misjudgement!”
“He has shown leadership, consistency and possesses a high ceiling; we haven’t even seen the best of him yet. I’m so proud of him, especially with how he’s secured his place in Mikel Arteta’s system, becoming crucial for the team.”
With the club in need of leaders a few years prior, Saliba has now emerged as a key figure, helping elevate the Gunners to title contention.
“France is fortunate to have him; he’s a brilliant centre-back poised to shine in the upcoming World Cup,” Desailly added. “He’s an invaluable asset to both club and country, and I’m excited to see just how far he can go.”
Currently, Arsenal holds a seven-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa in the Premier League, but Desailly cautioned against premature celebration.
He remarked, “The Premier League is far from over; stranger things have happened in football. Arsenal must remain focused and not let the Champions League or the FA Cup distract them.”
“They cannot afford to slip in key matches; losing momentum in pivotal games can have lasting repercussions on the team's performance.”
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