Saint-Etienne manager Claude Puel believes on-loan defender William Saliba is capable of immediately stepping into the first-team at the Emirates Stadium once he returns to Arsenal ahead of next season.
The Gunners signed the talented centre-back from the French club last summer for a fee believed to be in the region of £27million before immediately sending him back out on loan to the Ligue 1 outfit.
This season, the highly-rated 19-year-old has been superb for Puel's side when he hasn't been on the sidelines through injury, racking up 17 appearances in all competitions.
His form in France has most certainly got Arsenal supporters talking and plenty of them are desperate to see him don the red of the Gunners next season, with plenty of them suggesting that head coach Mikel Arteta should hand him the opportunity to cement himself as one of the club's first-choice central defenders, despite his tender age.
And that is an opinion that is matched by former Leicester City manager Puel, who is predicting that he is already capable of delivering the goods as a regular stater for the club.
"He is ready," Puel told The Athletic. "He is a fantastic player.
"He is a young player but with a lot of maturity in his play. Also, in his life. He is a player with a good feeling and spirit.
"It will be hard for us without him but I think it is a fantastic opportunity for Arsenal.
"I think they need a good centre-back and have done for some time, and I think William is the right player.
"I think he can play all the time in the first team at Arsenal."
The centre of defence is one area of the team that Arteta will be on the hunt to strengthen once the next transfer window officially opens, with RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano having been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent weeks.
