Arsenal centre-back William Saliba has reached an incredible milestone this week as the defender was selected for the France senior squad to replace Benjamin Pavard.
Les Bleus announced on their official Twitter account that the 20-year-old defender had been chosen to replace the Bayern Munich superstar for France’s March friendlies against the Ivory Coast and South Africa.
Pavard, who signed for Bayern for a reported €35m (£29m) according to Sky Sports News, has been forced to drop out of the France squad due to a positive Covid-19 test, paving the way for Saliba to earn his first senior call-up with European giants.
The youngster has been in spectacular form for Olympique Marseille this season, with Saliba playing a key role in the Ligue 1 side’s push for a UEFA Champions League finish and rumours circulating that the defender will feature for Arsenal next campaign.
Mikel Arteta is yet to play Saliba in a single professional game after the defender joined the club in 2019 and returned in 2020 after a loan spell with boyhood club Saint-Etienne, and with the defender now reaching another incredible career milestone, his talents are becoming simply too good to ignore.
Moreover, if Saliba is to impress with France this month after replacing the title-winning Bayern star Pavard, the Arsenal defender could again have another arrow in his quiver ahead of his return to north London this summer.
France call-up for Saliba is deserved after a breakthrough season
Saliba has been one of the top defenders in France this season, and his call-up to the senior squad, with Les Bleus currently sitting third in the FIFA World Rankings, is a testament to how well the centre-back has impressed over the past few months.
Indeed, Saliba is ready for the next step in his career, and with the youngster set to actually feature next season for Arsenal, this call-up for France is only just the beginning for the talented defender.
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