Former Tottenham player and football pundit Jermaine Jenas believes the performances of Arsenal defender William Saliba have "exposed" partner Gabriel Magalhaes. The duo have been Mikel Arteta's go-to pairing at the back this season, with Ben White moving to right-back.
Saliba's return to the squad comes after a third spell on loan since joining the Gunners in 2019, the latest of which being with French club Marseille. The 21-year-old went on to win Ligue 1's Young Player of the Year award, previously won by the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni.
There were doubts over where the defender would fit in, but since the start of the season, he has made one of the two centre-back positions his own. “What he is doing at 21 years old is rare," Arteta said on the youngster. "He remains really humble. He wants to learn, he wants to train every day and he is really demanding of himself and he is giving a lot to the team.”
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Saliba's performances have led to Arsenal kick starting contract renewal talks, with less than two-years remaining on his current deal at the club. Given his level of displays so far alongside the potential for even more growth beyond that, the Gunners will be keen for the saga to be wrapped up as soon as possible.
However, the Frenchman has also called into question the performances of his partner Gabriel, who has made a few mistakes so far this season. The Brazilian was at fault for giving away a penalty in the North London Derby, but was quick to silence his critics on social media shortly after the win.
Despite that, Jenas believes that Saliba has "exposed" Gabriel, saying on Vibe with Five: "I just feel like Saliba has elevated the level that it’s just exposed Gabriel a little bit. He’s [Gabriel] still very good, he’s still a very good centre-half.
"But all of a sudden you’re looking at Saliba and you’re going, ‘we need another one of you’. He’s [Gabriel] still doing his job, he made a big impact last year."
With plenty of competition for places, it remains to be seen if any of the players can keep up their performance level to earn a first-team shirt.
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