da aposte e ganhe： Despite dropping points to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Arsenal ended the weekend seven points clear atop the Premier League table.

da cassino online： After three years of getting close but failing to get over the line, this season really does feel different for Mikel Arteta and his side.

Sure, the North Londoners haven’t always been the most entertaining, free-flowing side in the country, but they’re undoubtedly the hardest team to play against.

One of Arsenal’s best players this term has been William Saliba, and it now looks like the club are keen to sign someone who could be their next version of the Frenchman.

Arsenal target their next Saliba

There are more than a few Arsenal players who could be shortlisted for the club’s player of the year award this season, from Leandro Trossard to Declan Rice and even Gabriel Magalhães.

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Saliba has to be included in any such discussion, as, on top of playing a significant role in the side with the best defensive record in the Premier League, he has started to show just how excellent he is on the ball in recent weeks.

Against the likes of Aston Villa, Chelsea and Forest, the Frenchman could be seen venturing out into the middle over and over again, almost playing in a style similar to John Stones for Manchester City a few years ago.

There is no doubt that the centre-back is one of the best signings the club have made in the Emirates era, and it now looks like they want to repeat it.

At least that is according to a recent report from The Athletic, which claims Arsenal are interested in Víctor Valdepeñas.

In fact, the report has revealed that, while the Gunners are unlikely to move for the Spanish defender this month, they are ‘drawing up plans for the summer’, and it looks like he will feature in those plans.

Fabrizio Romano has also reported the North Londoners’ interest, but it won’t be an easy deal to get done, as the young Spaniard is highly regarded at Real Madrid.

Even so, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Valdepeñas, not just because he’s an incredible talent, but because he could be their next Saliba.

Why Valdepeñas could be Arsenal's next Saliba

Now, what is it that makes Saliba such an incredible defender?

Well, arguably, his most important trait is his ability to sniff out danger and know when to make a tackle, block, or make an interception.

Perhaps the best example of him doing just this to a world-class standard was in the Champions League game against Real Madrid last season.

However, as outlined earlier, the Frenchman is far more than just a defender, as he’s also someone who can start attacks from deep.

He is someone capable of spraying a ball up to the attackers or driving through the pitch with it at his feet; he really is the perfect modern-day centre-back.

So, for a youngster to be described as the next Saliba, they surely have to be showing signs that they could be capable of doing both parts of the role to a high level, which is precisely what Valdepeñas is doing.

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For example, when it comes to the offensive, ball-playing side of things, respected analyst-turned-scout Ben Mattinson has described the youngster as an “explosive ball carrier” who “breaks through the lines with his carries.”

That’s not all, though, as Mattinson also points out that there is “so much quality and variance” in his passing.

According to Mattinson, the youngster can play “line breakers through to midfielders,” “diagonals,” and “clipped passes” with relative ease.

Valdepeñas’ 25/26 with Castilla

Appearances

17

Starts

13

Minutes

1108′

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clean Sheets

6

Points per Game

1.82

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Now, when it comes to the defensive side of things, he has helped to keep six clean sheets in the 17 appearances he’s made for Real Madrid Castilla this season.

Ultimately, Valdepeñas is still clearly some way off from being the finished article, but so was Saliba, and like the Frenchman, he seems to have all the raw ingredients needed to be a top-class defender.

Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him in the summer.

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