I turned Arsenal star into one of the best defenders in the world – just like I did with Virgil Van Dijk

11 months ago 48

CLAUDE PUEL watched Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool last month like a proud father.

In the heart of defence for Jurgen Klopp’s side was Virgil van Dijk – a player that Puel, 62, briefly coached during his one-season spell at Southampton in 2016/17 with great success.

Arsenal’s William Saliba is one of the best young defenders in the world[/caption]

Saliba developed at St Etienne under Claude Puel in the 2019/20 season[/caption]

But it was in the Gunners’ back four where the French manager’s eyes were firmly fixed, inspecting one of his more recent protégés – 22-year-old William Saliba.

Puel told SunSport: “You see that game against Liverpool, [Saliba] was one of the best players on the pitch. He is young, but all the ability to play in top, top teams.

“I think he is one of the best in Europe, in the world, right now.”

In October 2019, Puel was appointed manager at Ligue 1 club St Etienne and came across an 18-year-old Saliba back in France on loan after signing for Arsenal that summer.

Puel recalled: “He was a young player with some moves to correct technically. He was a little too slow, he did not produce enough good passes.

“He took too much time on the ball but he had all the quality, the anticipation to read the play.

“It was interesting to see him work in training sessions on passes to play quicker and to earn more time on the ball.

“It took two, three months to correct him, with my staff. He was a very good learner. After that, he had a fantastic season with us.

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“I remember, I put him in the team alongside Wesley Fofana, now at Chelsea. They were perfect together. It was a pity we could not keep those two for a couple more years.

“Of course, it was not possible. Saliba was an Arsenal player and we had to sell Wesley to Leicester because it was a difficult financial time for the club.”

However, Saliba did not make his senior Arsenal debut until August 5, 2022, having been sent on loan to OGC Nice and Marseille in the seasons prior for further development.

Saliba was reported to be frustrated by manager Mikel Arteta’s reluctance to introduce him to Premier League football sooner, something that Puel sympathised with.

Puel explained: “[Arteta] decided not to pick him because he was too young, but at this time he was in a good position to win his place at Arsenal. He would have played, no problem.

“He was ready to compete. Perhaps they didn’t see enough of him during his games at St Etienne. [Saliba] was frustrated. He felt that he was at a good enough level.

“But, he kept a good mentality to show his quality with Nice and Marseille. He is a fantastic player but also a fantastic man also. Very, very interesting for a manager to manage him.

“He is a simple man. He doesn’t change. He always keeps a good attitude and has a good mind and feeling about his work as a professional player.

“He still has the same mentality now, even after his back injury at the end of last season.”

Puel cannot help but admit his pride at playing a part in Saliba’s rise – and he has become so important for Arsenal that his back injury practically cost them the title last year.

Currently unemployed after getting the sack from St Etienne in December 2021, Puel was often criticised during his time with the Saints, as well as Leicester from October 2017 to February 2019, for playing negative football.

Yet Puel argues that what cannot be denied is his coaching impact on young defenders, such as Saliba, Van Dijk, Fofana and former Foxes centre back Harry Maguire.

All the time, players can develop and get better, and it was the same thing with Van Dijk

Claude Puel

Dutchman Van Dijk was 24 when Puel arrived at St Mary’s – and was made captain in January 2017, such was his growing influence before joining Liverpool 12 months later.

Maguire played some of his best football under Puel at the King Power, earning a £80m move to Manchester United in July 2019.

Puel said: “I am a manager. I like to work with a player. All the time, players can develop and get better, and it was the same thing with Van Dijk.

“He was not a modern player. He played at the beginning at Southampton sometimes like an older player, without moving, without pushing the team high up the pitch.

“Without making the covers for the full-backs, not wanting to pass the ball out or dribble out of his area. He needed to make the progress like a modern centre back.

“It was important to develop him, and it was the same with Maguire, helping him on the ball, with his anticipation and positioning to read the run of the attacker.

“It was the same with Fofana, Saliba. It is important to work with these players, not just for the moment but it will be better for them in the future too.”

Inevitably, talk returns to Saliba – who Puel was unable to select for St Etienne’s Covid-delayed Coupe de France final in July 2020 against PSG with his loan-back deal expired, something that still bothers him.

They lost 1-0 to the Parisians, but even up against the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria, Puel suggested: “We could have won with Saliba in the team.”