William Saliba

William Saliba is the cornerstone of Arsenal's defence and, increasingly, France's most important centre-back. After a difficult start at Arsenal that included loan spells back in France, he returned to the Emirates and immediately became indispensable — his composure, pace, and elegant ball-playing ability drawing comparisons to the great French defenders. Still only 25, he has already been a consistent starter for Deschamps and was outstanding at the 2022 World Cup. His partnership with Gabriel Magalhães at Arsenal is among the Premier League's best, and he arrives at the 2026 tournament at the peak of his powers.