Desailly names Saliba world's best centre-back and predicts eventual Real Madrid move

Marcel Desailly has named William Saliba the best centre-back in the world and predicted the Arsenal defender will one day move to Real Madrid, despite the Frenchman having signed a five-year contract extension at the Emirates as recently as September 2024.

Desailly, the former Chelsea and France captain, told Sportscasting that Saliba has surpassed long-standing benchmark Virgil van Dijk at the top of the position. “I would put William Saliba there,” Desailly said. “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.”

The 53-year-old was equally direct in dismissing the competition. He argued that Saliba’s centre-back partner Gabriel owes much of his reputation to playing alongside him, and found little to admire elsewhere across Europe’s elite clubs. “Gabriel is only there because of Saliba — so Gabriel, no, he’s not in the conversation. At Manchester United, there’s nothing. Chelsea, not at that level. Inter Milan, AC Milan, absolutely not.”

Saliba has been a cornerstone of Arsenal’s defence since establishing himself as a first-team regular in 2022, following a series of loan spells after his arrival from Saint-Étienne. His partnership with Gabriel has been widely considered the strongest centre-back pairing in Europe, and was central to Arsenal’s Premier League title win last season.

Despite the long-term contract tying Saliba to Arsenal until the summer of 2030, Desailly sees an eventual departure to the Spanish capital as inevitable. “Yes, I do expect William Saliba to one day wear the colours of Real Madrid,” he said. “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. But not now. He is the best central defender, so it is what it is today.”

Arsenal will be confident that Saliba’s contract, which runs to 2030, provides significant protection against any approach in the near term. Whether Real Madrid test that resolve as the deal enters its latter stages remains to be seen.