Journalist says Arsenal have an ‘extraordinary’ youngster who’s already outshining £34m Manchester United star

Sat 2 April 2022 7:15, UK

France v Ivory Coast - International friendly match — Photo by Anthony Bibard/FEP/Icon Sport via Getty Images

French journalist Thibaud Leplat believes that Arsenal defender William Saliba deserves to start in the France national team ahead of Manchester United star Raphael Varane.

The young Arsenal ace, who is currently on loan at Marseille, made his senior international debut against Ivory Coast last week. He was then handed his first-ever start against South Africa and he was absolutely incredible in that game.

Saliba showed everyone why he’s regarded as one of the best young defenders in world football. He barely put a foot wrong and that has led to Leplat claiming he should be higher than Varane in the pecking order for the World Cup in Qatar.

The Manchester United man, who moved to Old Trafford for £34 million last summer (), is among the best defenders in the world, which makes the journalist’s claim a controversial one.

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Journalist: William Saliba should replace Raphael Varane for France

Leplat was quoted by saying: “When Varane came off against South Africa, the French team were leading 3-0. Saliba passes in the axis, goes up a notch and France score two goals.

“He intercepts an incredible number of balls. He’s smaller, he doesn’t have the stature of Varane but he exudes an extraordinary serenity that I haven’t seen since Laurent Blanc. We must open a debate (about Saliba replacing) Varane. But, Didier Deschamps will not.

“If we are lucid about Varane’s performance, we will realize that the defensive feverishness of the France team comes from the insecurity he has more than 50 meters from his goal. He anticipates too quickly, he is not in the right tempo.

“Saliba, almost all the balls he touched, are returned vertically. Varane is on the side. Let’s not be blinded by Varane’s career, let’s see his performances and they are disappointing.”

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Saliba Varane — Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

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Varane’s career speaks for itself. The Frenchman has won almost everything there is to win in his career so far and he is rightly regarded as one of the best defenders in world football.

Saliba even being mentioned in the same breath as Varane is a massive compliment. But the journalist saying the Arsenal man is outshining the Manchester United superstar at the top level should act as a wake-up call for Mikel Arteta.

Saliba hasn’t played a single game for Arsenal yet. Arteta hasn’t been convinced by him at all, which has given rise to tons of speculation about the youngster’s future.

If Arsenal really decide to let him go this summer, it could prove to be one of their worst decisions over the last two decades.