Rio Ferdinand has heaped praise on Arsenal centre backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes and claimed they are the best defensive partnership in Europe.
Both players have become undroppable under Mikel Arteta and been credited as a major force behind the Gunners’ recent Premier League title challenges.
Indeed, pundit Ferdinand, a six-time top-flight winner at Manchester United, previously waxed lyrical about the duo and their ability to complement each other.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League opener against Atalanta, he was again quizzed on whether they stood among the continent’s very best.
Asked if they were the standout pairing on TNT Sports, Ferdinand said: ‘Yeah, definitely. I think they are. They proved that the last couple of seasons now.
Rio Ferdinand says William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are Europe’s best defensive pairing
Both centre backs have become a major force in Arsenal’s Premier League title challenges
‘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.’
Ferdinand believes the duo complement each other perfectly but also bring necessary grit
Mikel Arteta admitted the understanding between the two defensive giants ‘just flows’
Echoing Ferdinand’s words in April, Arteta also attributed the partnership between Gabriel and Saliba as a key factor in his side’s tilt for silverware.
‘You can see a balance and they complement each other,’ Arteta said.
‘They are so happy to play with each other. It just flows. They have been really good.’
