Arsenal have enjoyed quite the year despite missing out on UEFA Champions League football last campaign, and for many supporters, one player has been the clear breakout superstar.
Despite only returning to the club in the summer and making his first competitive appearance in August, William Saliba has arguably transformed Arsenal in a way very few would have expected, with the 21-year-old defender one of the best in his position this term in the Premier League and breakout star in the division in his own right.
Having signed for the Gunners back in 2019, Saliba was sent out on loan three times as Mikel Arteta deemed the defender not ready just yet to play for Arsenal. And whilst the Basque manager was slated at the time for these decisions, the payoff has been immense as we will explore.
William Saliba – Arsenal’s breakout player of 2022
Signs were evident in pre-season that Saliba was something of a defensive monster. The France international made his unofficial debut for the Gunners in Arsenal’s tour of the USA, where the centre-back impressed massively in fixtures against Everton and Chelsea.
And whilst there were still some rumours that Saliba could leave north London in the summer, all talk was quashed when the youngster was given the start against Crystal Palace for the opening match of the Premier League season, where the defender came away with a clean sheet and the Man of the Match award.
From there, Saliba’s stock has continued to rocket, with the defender scoring one of Arsenal’s goals of the season against AFC Bournemouth, keeping clean sheets against the likes of Chelsea, Leeds United and Wolves and being the centre of arguably the best new chant in the Premier League this campaign. The defender is certainly the real deal.
Praise from Arsenal legends and current teammates
It’s not just Arsenal fans who have identified Saliba as the breakout player for 2022, but also club legend Cesc Fabregas, who said after a 3-1 win against Tottenham: “This boy has been in France for the last three years on loan and I’ve been watching closely.”
“At 18, 19 he was the best player on the pitch. That shows the potential of this guy, and he makes it look so easy, he could potentially be Arsenal’s centre-back for the next 15, 20 years.”
Aaron Ramsdale is also a big fan of his Arsenal teammates, with the goalkeeper saying: “He’s a man mountain, honestly. He glides across the pitch, doesn’t seem to sprint. He [Saliba] gets his big arm across people. The guy, he’s got everything honestly and he’s showing it on the pitch.”
2022 has been a career-changing year for Saliba. And based on his performances for Arsenal over the past few months, there’s every chance that the north London side will have one of Europe’s best defenders on their books for many years to come.
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