Marcel Desailly has declared that he 'expects' William Saliba to eventually join Real Madrid, describing the Arsenal centre-back as the 'best defender in the world'. The former Chelsea captain's comments come as Saliba, 25, continues to impress for both club and country.
Saliba's rise at Arsenal
Saliba joined Arsenal from Saint-Etienne in 2019 for £27m but initially struggled to break into Mikel Arteta's first team. After loan spells back in France, he established himself as a key figure in Arsenal's defence, helping the Gunners finish second in the Premier League twice before winning the title last season. He is now considered one of the top defenders in the league and is currently at the World Cup with tournament favourites France.
Desailly's praise for Saliba
Speaking to Sportscasting, Desailly said: 'Who do I think is the best centre-back in the world? It’s not Virgil van Dijk. He has his level, we know, there’s no doubt he’s a great defender. But on some occasions, he has shown a little bit of weakness. It’s also probably due to his past injury; in 1v1 situations, he is no longer exceptional like he was before, though he’s still a great player.'
Desailly added: 'I would put William Saliba there, even though he has some problems with his back, I think he’s in the conversation for the world’s best centre back. Saliba is definitely one of the best ones. Gabriel is only there because of Saliba – so Gabriel, no, he’s not in the conversation.'
Comparing Saliba to other defenders, Desailly noted: 'Who else can we say? At Manchester United, there’s nothing. Chelsea, not at that level. Inter Milan, AC Milan, absolutely not. So I would say Saliba is part of the defensive elite who have that consistency and are capable of winning their 1v1s no matter who comes across them.'
Real Madrid speculation
Saliba was heavily linked with Real Madrid before signing a new long-term contract with Arsenal in summer 2025, which runs until 2030. Despite this, Desailly believes a move to the Spanish giants is inevitable. Asked if he expects Saliba to play at the Bernabeu, Desailly replied: 'Yes, yes. I do expect William Saliba to one day wear the colours of Real Madrid. He’s committed to Arsenal for the next, I don’t know, four years. But he’s young, so why not? The door is open, and all the best players want to play for Real Madrid at some point in their careers. The door is open. But not now. Not now. He is the best central defender, so it is what it is today.'
Current focus on World Cup
Saliba's immediate attention is on France's World Cup campaign. Didier Deschamps' side are preparing to face Paraguay in the round of 16, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake. The defender is expected to play a key role as France aim to retain their title.
