'On the front foot': Rio Ferdinand says Arsenal have a top talent in their ranks who's like Martin Keown
09/20/2024 11:45 AM
Over the past few years, Arsenal have put together a world-class squad that has a bright future ahead.
When Mikel Arteta took the Gunners reins in 2019, they were languishing in mid-table. Now, they have challenged for the title in the past two seasons.
The rebuilding mission wasn’t an overnight job, but in 2022, things finally clicked, and Arsenal have been among the best teams in the country ever since.
Key to Arsenal’s rise has been their defence. Once a weak spot of the team, the Gunners now boast one of the best back lines in world football.
Rio Ferdinand has now delivered an emphatic verdict on the Arsenal defence, speaking after their draw at Atalanta in the Champions League.
Rio Ferdinand says Arsenal defence is among the Premier League’s best
Ferdinand believes Arsenal have the best back four in the Premier League, with centre-back duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes among the continent’s best pairings.
The Manchester United legend also praised Ben White and David Raya for their contributions to Arsenal’s brilliant back line.
Asked if Gabriel and Saliba were the standout pairing on TNT Sports, Ferdinand said: “Yeah, definitely. I think they are. They proved that the last couple of seasons now.
“They’re resolute. They’re hard. They can do it in different ways. You’ve got a great blend. Saliba is a little bit more calm and wants to cover and sweep a little bit.
“Gabriel’s on the front foot, more of a Martin Keown type. [He’s an] aggressive-type player. They complement each other so well.
“But I want to reinforce that it’s not just about those two. You need Ben White to chip in and come inside and make it a three. Also, the goalkeeper’s [David Raya] coming into his own.”
Ferdinand went on to add: “I think this is the best back four, back five in the Premier League. We’ll see this season how they fare in this competition because it’s different.
“But they’ve got a really good nucleus of bodies there that can really compete.
“Every striker that comes up against them will be thinking, “This is going to be a tough one today.” That’s what you want if you’re Mikel Arteta.”
Latest reports on Gabriel contract situation
It appears as though Arsenal are looking to tie down more of their star men after Saliba put pen to paper on a four-year deal last summer.
Gabriel is in a stronger position and could even demand a deal similar to Saliba, who is now on £190k-a-week at Arsenal, according to Charles Watts.
However, Fabrizio Romano played down things slightly, as per Caught Offside.
"Gabriel Magalhaes was the hero for Arsenal against Tottenham at the weekend, and my fellow columnist Charles Watts discussed his performance and his future in his latest column here,” said Romano
"I can confirm more or less the same – it's something at an early stage, with nothing particularly concrete so far.
“For sure Arsenal want to keep all their stars and Gabriel is one of them. It will be a topic in the next months, but nothing imminent."
What next for Arsenal?
Arsenal take on Manchester City at the Etihad in a Premier League match on Sunday 22 September, 4:30pm kick-off.
