'He could play for Real Madrid right now' - Wright tips Arsenal star for the top

Stuart Telford

• 10 Oct 2023 15:34 BST
• 3 min read

Arsenal legend Ian Wright thinks William Saliba will become Erling Haaland's toughest career rival - provided they don't both end up at Real Madrid.

Saliba and Haaland went head-to-head on Sunday as Arsenal beat Manchester City 1-0 to move second in the Premier League, only trailing North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on goals scored.

Arsenal's Premier League title tilt came undone last season after Saliba suffered a back injury in March, and Haaland bullied the Frenchman's understudy Rob Holding as City beat the Gunners 4-1 in April on the way to being crowned champions.

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But Saliba won all four of his duels on Sunday as Gabriel Martinelli grabbed the goal that gave the Gunners a 1-0 win at the other end, and Arsenal legend Ian Wright thinks it is a portent of things to come between the two.

Haaland's view of Saliba

"I think Haaland will see William Saliba as the defender that, 'I need to be on my game today,'" the former striker said on his Wrighty's House podcast. "You have to look at him and think to yourself, 'he could play for Real Madrid right now, no danger.' He could play for any of them, could play for anyone he wants.

"In the Premier League, I don't care what anyone says it is the best league in the world and he's here, he's here for another four years, he's only going to enhance himself and get better."

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Saliba's value has climbed to €32.3 million per FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, overtaking the €30m Arsenal paid Saint-Etienne for his services in 2019 before loaning him back to les Verts, then Nice and Marseille. It would likely take at least twice that to persuade Arsenal to sell now.

Real retain an interest in Haaland, meanwhile, although Man City are set to offer the Norwegian goal machine a new contract that would make him the highest paid player at the club - and remove the €200m release clause that might have invited a bid from Madrid.