The French defender’s combination of physical prowess and technical quality has earned him praise and comparisons to a former Man United centre-back.
Former manager Harry Redknapp has likened William Saliba to Rio Ferdinand – who he coached as a youngster at West Ham.
Saliba has earned plenty of praise after keeping Erling Haaland quiet during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday. The Norwegian endured a torrid time at the Emirates, failing to register a single shot on target and often finding himself frustrated.
Few have been able to come out on top against Haaland, but Saliba proved he has the pace, strength and mental capacity to compete against the best strikers. That combination is rare in modern-day defenders but Ferdinand was often praised for having it all, and Redknapp has compared the two.
“I thought Saliba was different class against City,” Redknapp told Premier League Odds. “He man-marked [Erling] Haaland for a lot of the game and honestly, the Norwegian barely had a kick.
“He’s got a bit of everything in his game, he’s what I would call a Rolls-Royce of a defender. He actually reminds me a bit of Rio [Ferdinand] when I had him at West Ham, just a class act.”
Redknapp handed Ferdinand his professional debut as a 17-year-old in 1996, the defender coming off the bench during a 1-1 draw on the final day of the season. After an impressive full campaign with the Hammers, Manchester United made contact over a potential deal before eventually signing Henning Berg.
After continuing his development at Leeds United, Ferdinand eventually joined the Reds in 2002, becoming the most expensive British footballer in history after a £30million fee was agreed. He would go on to make 455 appearances over a 12-year period in Manchester, winning a host of major honours including six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.
