William Saliba has credited Kylian Mbappe’s dad with helping to transform him into the dominant defender he is today.

The Frenchman was a key part of Arsenal’s starting line-up last season, forming a successful partnership with Gabriel at centre-back. 

Their defensive performances helped the Gunners to mount a surprise title challenge against Manchester City in the Premier League.

In fact, it was Saliba’s season-ending injury against Sporting Lisbon in March which many credit with derailing the Gunners’ attempt to end their long wait for a title. 

But heading into last summer, it appeared that Saliba would be departing the Emirates Stadium.

Saliba had been struggling to convince boss Mikel Arteta that he could be a long-term option in defence. 

Instead, he was sent out on a series of loans to Ligue 1, where he impressed with Marseille.

His time at the Orange Velodrome helped to convince Arteta to give him a chance. 

It was a chance he took with both arms, becoming one of the best defenders in the Premier League last term.

That is a far cry from his younger days, when he actually played as a striker for AS Bondy. 

And Saliba has credited Mbappe’s father Wilfried for convincing him to switch position to centre-back.

“He was a good coach and he really helped me at this age… he told the truth – even if you were young. 

The message he told me was: ‘Yeah, you’re a good striker but I think you will become a defensive midfielder’,” the Arsenal star told the Daily Mail.

“I was a good scorer, I was strong, I was technical as well. My worst quality was maybe that I was lazy and I was nonchalant. 

Of course I have the quality, but that means nothing,” he says.

“You have to work hard to go to this level. So I’m not close to this level but I will give everything to maybe one day become the best defender in the world.”

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