Arsenal defender David Luiz is set to leave the club at the end of the season as we reported earlier, with youngster William Saliba expected to replace him in the squad.
The Brazilian will depart after spending two seasons at the Emirates Stadium, with his contract expiring at the end of June.
Saliba has been on loan at Nice since January and has put in some impressive performances.
The youngster is expected to be given a chance during pre-season. Mikel Arteta wants the 20-year-old to compete against Rob Holding for the right centre-back spot.
The club are reportedly keen on streamlining the squad by reducing the number of central defenders.
Apart from Luiz, Konstantinos Mavropanos who is on loan at Stuttgart is also not in Arteta’s plans for next season.
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The door to the first team has opened for the Frenchman, and it is up to him to showcase his ability.
Based on how he has done for Nice, it appears that the young defender is ready to take on that responsibility.
Saliba is a centre-back who is willing to be aggressive on and off the ball. This is useful in cutting out attacks and, even if there is a lapse in judgement, his pace makes up for it.
The north Londoners need someone of this ilk who can be an active part of the build-up. With an already forward-thinking mindset, the youngster can also help in this regard.
After arriving at the Emirates in 2019, Saliba will finally get a chance to impress, and the youngster must make it count.
Read: Premier League 2020/21 Week 36 – EPL Results & Table.
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