Kevin Campbell has claimed that if Liverpool star, Virgil van Dijk, is a ‘Rolls-Royce’, then Arsenal defender William Saliba is a ‘Bentley’, as he told the Highbury Squad.
The former striker added that Saliba has played ‘effortlessly’ in pre-season this summer and he has looked ‘smooth’ in Arsenal colours.
Even though the France international signed for the club in 2019, his own fans haven’t seen much of him because of his two loan spells in his home country.
The last loan was at Marseille where he impressed to the point that the Ligue 1 club are keen to take him back – but Mikel Arteta wants him part of his long-term plans.
Campbell thinks that loan deal did him the world of good and he ‘needed’ that extra year in Marseille colours, as he shared what he likes about the ball-playing centre-back.
“He plays effortlessly,” said Campbell. “He plays alongside Gabriel effortlessly. It looks like they have been playing together for years already.
“Was it the Orlando game when he came off the bench? He just shut everything down. It was just easy. I really think he needed that extra year at Marseille.
“I don’t want to say he is VVD (Virgil van Dijk) because he’s not VVD, at the moment. But if VVD is the Rolls-Royce, then he has to be a Bentley right now. He’s got to be.
“He’s smooth, unflustered and he’s got the speed. If he gets caught out, he’s got the speed and we are talking about Werner against Chelsea, he had the speed to get back and block it.
“The most impressive thing I have seen from him is his passing from the back. It’s excellent. I know it’s pre-season. And we have waited a long time for it.”
SHOULD SALIBA START AGAINST CRYSTAL PALACE?
The first game of the Premier League season is edging ever closer and, just like the last campaign, it’s Arsenal who have been handed the keys to open the door for the 2022/23 season.
Whilst it was Brentford walking through the doors last time out alongside the Gunners and causing Arteta’s side all sorts of problems, it’s going to be Crystal Palace this time out.
Patrick Vieira has one of the quickest forward lines in the Premier League, so should that push Arteta to start with Saliba instead of his usual duo at the back?
Well, his performances in pre-season have been more than good enough to hand him that start, with Ben White playing at right-back during Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Chelsea in the USA.
Whatever call is made, one thing is for sure, it’s now time for Saliba to be handed those regular minutes at Arsenal, else there is no point him being at the Champions League-chasing side.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
