A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Fulham explore a transfer for a Gunners star and Invincible Kolo Toure shares his honest verdict on France enforcer William Saliba.
Kolo Toure feels Arsenal star William Saliba’s strength is his speed
Arsenal Invincible Kolo Toure thinks William Saliba is such a great defender due to his speed. The Ivorian rates the Frenchman highly having proven his ability to run with any forwards in the Premier League. Saliba will also now test his skills at Euro 2024 under Didier Deschamps.
Saliba finished third in Arsenal’s 2023/24 Player of the Season poll behind Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice. The centre-half received 20% of all votes cast after also becoming the first Gunner in the Premier League era to play every second of their games throughout a season.
The 23-year-old appeared a total of 50 times across all competitions this term, too. Arsenal also registered 22 clean sheets when Saliba featured through the 23/24 season. Now, Toure claims it is the Bondy-born brute’s top speed that sets Saliba aside from other centre-backs.
Toure told the Premier League’s YouTube channel: “The strength that he has is his speed. He is such a rapid player.”
Read more about what Toure has had to say about Arsenal defender Saliba, here.
Ian Wright thinks Arsenal ‘have got to’ let Mikel Arteta ‘work’
Highbury legend Ian Wright thinks Arsenal and their supporters ‘have got to’ let Mikel Arteta ‘work’ to be champions again. The Gunners great admits missing out on the Premier League title by two points was a ‘disappointment’. But he revels in the progress Arteta has enjoyed.
Manchester City pipped the north London team to the crown by just two points this season. It was the closest that Arsenal have come to lifting the trophy since Arsene Wenger’s players went the 2003/04 term unbeaten. It was also a second straight season they finished second.
But Wright trusts in what Arteta is striving to achieve after Arsenal failed to finish in the top four from 2016/17 to 2021/22. Now, they have been the team to push Manchester City the closest in successive seasons. So, it is clear to Wright that Arsenal must trust Arteta’s plans.
“Obviously, it’s a massive disappointment,” Wright told GQ. “[But] I’m so proud of this team and what they and Mikel have done in two years.
“It’s still a work in progress and yet we’re still challenging at the very highest level. We, as a fanbase, have got to just calm down and let this man work.”
Read more about what Wright has had to say about Arsenal under Arteta, here.
Fulham are interested in rivalling Celtic for Kieran Tierney’s transfer from Arsenal
Fulham are now interested in securing a transfer for outcast Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney this summer. That is according to Football Transfers, which reports that the Cottagers intend to push for the Scotland defender as Craven Cottage chiefs feel Antonee Robinson will leave.
Manchester United and Liverpool have begun to show an interest in signing Robinson in the off-season. So, Fulham hope to have a replacement lined up in Tierney, who is also meriting interest from Celtic. The Hoops are eager to convince the left-back to return after five years.
Celtic accept they may struggle to afford Tierney with Arsenal seeking £15m for his transfer. Despite spending the 2023/24 season on loan to Real Sociedad after falling out of manager Mikel Arteta’s plans, the Bhoys hero remains under contract at Emirates Stadium until 2026.
Read more about Fulham’s interest in Tierney’s transfer from Arsenal, here.