William Gallas dismisses William Saliba’s world-class label and reveals top Premier League defenders

Former Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham player William Gallas has downplayed the hype surrounding William Saliba and named four Premier League defenders who he believes are superior to the Arsenal youngster.

Saliba, who has impressed since making his breakthrough into Arsenal’s first team in the 2022-2023 season, spent the previous three years out on loan. His contribution to Arsenal’s title push last season was significant, playing in their first 27 matches before a back injury impacted the team’s performance in their final 11 games, resulting in them narrowly missing out on the Premier League title.

Despite Saliba’s promising performances, Gallas asserts that the media’s excessive fawning over the player is not beneficial and can put undue pressure on him. Gallas adds that to be considered truly world-class, defenders need to be regular starters in their national teams, a status Saliba has yet to achieve with France.

Gallas suggests that the following four defenders are currently better than Saliba in the Premier League:

1. Thiago Silva – Gallas praises Silva’s consistency and longevity, stating that the veteran Brazilian defender remains at the top of his game despite his age.
2. Josko Gvardiol – Gallas admires Gvardiol’s ability to adapt seamlessly to a new system and cites his performances for RB Leipzig as evidence of his world-class potential.
3. Raphael Varane – While acknowledging that Varane might not be at his best currently, Gallas highlights Varane’s impressive achievements throughout his career as proof of his world-class status.
4. Virgil van Dijk – Gallas admits that Van Dijk has not been the same since returning from injury but still recognizes his talent and considers him one of the best defenders in the league.

Gallas concludes by encouraging fans to refrain from prematurely labeling Saliba as world-class and suggests that the young defender still has room to grow and improve before reaching that level. Saliba, who has been in excellent form this season, will be looking to prove his worth in Arsenal’s upcoming match against Chelsea.

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