Arsenal star William Saliba says there is a player at Liverpool who is ‘the boss’ and is ‘in charge of everything’.
The Frenchman has developed into one of the best defenders in the world over the last two seasons. He is arguably Arsenal‘s most important player.
Saliba, however, is still only 23 and there is room for improvement. He has now shared the one thing he is getting better at under Mikel Arteta.
William Saliba says there’s one similarity between him and Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk has arguably been the best defender in the world since he joined Liverpool.
The Dutchman has everything in his game that you would want from a centre-back. He’s quick, strong, good on the ball and is also a real leader at the back.
Without Van Dijk, Liverpool probably wouldn’t have had the success that they did under Jurgen Klopp over the last few years.
Saliba is just as important for Arsenal as Van Dijk is for Liverpool.
The France international has been unbelievable for the Gunners since he made his debut on the opening day of the 2022/23 season.
Saliba also played a big part in helping Arsenal maintain the best defence in the Premier League in the recently-concluded campaign.
The Arsenal man has now revealed that he has developed a trait that Van Dijk already possesses.
He told L’Equipe: “I’m not the guy who talks a lot, but I talk more and more. I’m making progress on that. In defence at Arsenal, I am one of the leaders.
“Van Dijk has aura, for example. He’s the boss, he’s in charge of everything. You feel he scares the attackers.
“But I’m starting to feel the same way. I’m starting to see that attackers feel fear. Sometimes when players are in your area, they don’t have fun.
“And when there’s a one-on-one and the player goes back, takes out the ball, runs away from the duel, it’s fun (smiles).”
Van Dijk vs Saliba stats compared
Van Dijk and Saliba are the two best defenders in the Premier League.
The two players were magnificent for their respective clubs in the 2023/24 season, and they are both adored by their fans.
But, who had the better stats?
In the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, Van Dijk played 36 games. He averaged 1.1 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 3.9 clearances per game. The Dutchman also won 3.9 aerial duels per 90 minutes.
On the ball, Van Dijk averaged 79.8 passes per game and maintained a passing accuracy of 91.5 per cent. (WhoScored)
Saliba, on the other hand, played every single minute in the Premier League last season. He averaged 1.1 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 2.1 clearances and 1.9 successful aerial duel wins per game.
The Arsenal star averaged fewer passes per 90 minutes than Van Dijk – 74.7 – but he boasted a better passing accuracy – 92.6 per cent. (WhoScored)
It’s close, but Van Dijk may just have the edge here. However, the Liverpool captain, 33, is at the twilight of his career, while Saliba is still just 23 years old.
If the Arsenal man can continue to progress in the same way, he could easily surpass Van Dijk’s legacy before his career comes to an end.