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Arsenal hero backs Unai Emery to make first summer signing - ‘he looks a very good player'
ARSENAL have been backed to complete a deal for Saint-Etienne defender William Saliba.
Saint Etienne: William Saliba shows his defensive skills
Saliba has emerged as a surprise target for Arsenal as Unai Emery looks to add reinforcements to his defence.
The 18-year-old centre-back has made just 15 Ligue 1 appearances since making his debut last year.
Reports claim Saliba could cost Arsenal a fee of around £25million.
Former Arsenal right-back Lauren is a fan of the France Under-19 international.
You have to anticipate and he looks very good at just 18, so the future is bright
And he reckons he could be a good addition to the Gunners squad.
“Yes, he looks a very good player,” Lauren told American Gambler.
“Strong, tall, can come out of the back with the ball and an international for France.
“He reads the game very well, which is important for a player at the back.
“You have to anticipate and he looks very good at just 18, so the future is bright.”
Saliba could end up being a replacement for the under-fire Shkodran Mustafi at Arsenal.
And ahead of Wedneaday’s Europa League final against Chelsea, Mustafi is wary any mistake could prove costly.
“[The final] is going to be a game where one mistake punishes you and that’s why we’ve got to be very careful,” the German said.
“Our job as defenders is to try not to concede goals, but if you make 90 per-cent of your job and in the 10 per-cent the opponent scores a goal, people forget about the 90 per-cent.
“The coach prefers that we make mistakes but still play our game instead of just playing anything so he cannot identify us with the game we were supposed to be playing.
“You want to finish the game knowing you did this, this, this and that is why you won the game.
"Rather than saying, ‘How the hell did we win that, because we were bad’."