Arsenal’s young potentially world-class centre back William Saliba is coming back from loan this summer.
And even though he is rated highly, Martin Keown has told the Gunners fan base not to pile pressure on him.
Asked if there is some pressure on William Saliba, Keown said, “There definitely is.
“It is one of those where I would have been happier if Arsenal had paid more money and brought him in straight at the start of last season.
“There have long-been questions over the Arsenal defence and Saliba was expensive, but he is also young and has not played that many professional games.
“It can’t be expected that he will walk straight into Arsenal, right into the team and be on it from the off.”
“There are eight or nine central defenders contracted to the football club,” Keown, talking as an ambassador for McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards, added.
“So there is almost a team of central defenders and obviously Arteta can’t retain all of them so some of them should be moved out – even if some are currently injured now.
“Arteta might not feel he can shift any of those defenders this summer but the board will probably tell him he has to get rid of players in that position if he wants to sign a new centre-back.”
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