Ian Wright thinks Mikel Arteta has ‘special’ talent who Arsenal boss deserves ‘credit’ for

Crystal Palace v Arsenal: Pictures

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Ian Wright has hailed Arsenal centre-back William Saliba as a “special” talent following his stellar Premier League debut against Crystal Palace on Friday night. The ex-Gunner also lauded Mikel Arteta for his decision to send the French defender out on loan for a third time last season, insisting the 21-year-old’s experiences at Marseille were invaluable to his development.

Saliba shone in the Premier League’s curtain-raiser at Selhurst Park, earning high praise from the likes of Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville among others. The centre-back cut a calm and commanding figure at the heart of Arteta’s defence as he was handed his eagerly-anticipated senior Arsenal bow three years after joining from Saint-Etienne in a deal worth around £27million.

Arteta opted to loan Saliba out for a third time last season, much to the disbelief of some of an Arsenal persuasion, who felt the Frenchman deserved an opportunity in the Gunners first-team. Those frustrations were further compounded in the eyes of many as a sublime campaign saw the Marseille loanee scoop the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year Award and earn call-ups to the French national team as Arsenal failed to clinch Champions League qualification.

However, Wright believes Arteta’s decision to once again send Saliba out on loan last term has been justified, with the defender’s experiences at Marseille having proven integral to ensuring he is well-equipped for the demands of Premier League football. The ex-England forward declared: “Mikel and Edu have got to take a lot of credit for what they’ve done with this guy.

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“This guy is someone we’ve always thought would be special. Even when they sent him out on loan there were fans calling for him to come back. He’s a full international now, he looks composed, calm, he’s got great pace.

“It’s a decision that was magnificent from Arsenal. It would have been easy to bring him back last year but they gave him the extra season and now he looks like he’s been playing in that position for years.

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“At 21, to go to Crystal Palace for the first game of the season and play like that… you don’t want to get carried away but that’s some performance.”

Following his eye-catching debut, Saliba took to Instagram to express his delight at making his first Arsenal appearance while also thanking the club’s fans for their continued support. He wrote: “I’m really happy and proud to play my first game for this great club. Thanks a lot to the fans for your support.”

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