Mikel Arteta has been urged to drop star defender William Saliba as Arsenal’s season threatens to implode.
The Gunners were competing for all three trophies just two weeks ago but a Carabao Cup final defeat and a shock FA Cup exit has left Arteta’s side sprialling.
Arsenal blew their chance to win a first major trophy since 2020, losing 2-0 to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Arteta would have hoped and expected his team to return to winning ways against Southampton in the FA Cup but it was the Championship side who advanced to the semi-finals courtesy of a 2-1 win at St Mary’s.
Despite suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, Arsenal can still enjoy a memorably and successful campaign as they look to clinch their first Premier League title since 2004 and first ever Champions League trophy.
Arsenal boast a healthy nine-point lead over Man City but know Pep Guardiola’s side can close the gap when they play their game in hand. The Gunners also face a daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium later this month.
Arteta’s team were flawless in the Champions League group stage and a last-16 win over Bayer Leverkusen earned them a quarter-final tie against Sporting, with the first leg taking place on Tuesday night.
As Arteta looks to get Arsenal’s season back on track, the Gunners boss has been advised by World Cup winner Marco Materazzi to start Riccardo Calafiori at centre-back ahead of superstar defender Saliba.
Saliba has hardly put a foot wrong over the past four years but Materazzi believes Calafiori, who has often played at left-back since joining Arsenal in 2024, is the better option.
‘I think Riccardo Calafiori is one of the best Italian defenders right now,’ former Italy defender Materazzi told Hajper.
‘He grew very fast when he was at Bologna. Now Arsenal must believe in him. The best way for Arsenal is for Calafiori to be allowed to play his best football.
‘For me, Calafiori is best at centre-back. Arsenal should play Calafiori with Gabriel instead of William Saliba. He has a very good left foot.’
Saliba and Gabriel have formed one of the best centre-back partnerships in world football in recent years and Materazzi believes the Brazilian could soon be a Ballon d’Or contender.
‘I think right now in football you never know who will win the Ballon d’Or because if Lionel Messi wins the World Cup then he’ll score so many goals in Miami too,’ he added.
‘MLS is not the best league in the world but if he scores 40 goals in a season and wins the World Cup, I think he has the best chance to win the Ballon d’Or.
‘It’s not easy for one defender to win the Ballon d’Or. Fabio Cannavaro was the last to do it but you never know in football. If Gabriel keeps scoring goals and wins some trophies for Arsenal too then why not?’
Ex-Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, considered one of the best in Premier League history, is a known admirer of Saliba.
‘I think he is going to be the best defender in the world,’ Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel last year. ‘Saliba will be the best defender in the world when Virgil van Dijk gives up that post.
‘As soon as that happens, it could be in a year, it could be three years. Whenever it’s going to be I don’t see anyone else taking over.’
After facing Sporting in the Champions League, Arsenal resume their Premier League campaign after a one-month break against Bournemouth.