Arsenal ace's Virgil van Dijk praise tells Liverpool all it needs to know before contract decision

Arsenal defender William Saliba admits he is trying to become more like Virgil van Dijk after an impressive season. The Frenchman played in all 38 matches in the Premier League as Arsenal finished with the best defensive record.

The Gunners fell just short in the title race but Saliba received plenty of plaudits for his performances alongside Gabriel Magalhaes. He believes he is now one of the best in his position after just two seasons in the Premier League.

But Saliba, 23, accepts he still has to improve his leadership skills to be mentioned in the same breath as Liverpool's talismanic captain, who will be 10 years his senior this summer.

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Speaking to L'Equipe, Saliba sad: "I am a humble person but last year, like this year, I am in the top 3 of the best defenders. I still have work to do of course to go even higher: concentration, being really consistent throughout the season.

"I'm not the guy who talks a lot, but I talk more and more. I'm making progress. In defense at Arsenal, I am one of the leaders.

"But Van Dijk, for example, has an aura. He's the boss, he orders everything. You feel that he scares the attackers. I'm starting to feel the same way. I'm starting to see that the attackers feel fear."

Saliba is part of the France squad for the European Championships this summer but it appears Didier Deschamps will start the tournament with Liverpool ace Ibrahima Konate alongside Dayot Upamecano in defense.

Focus will soon shift to next season as Arsenal bids to go one better in the title race and Saliba believes lessons have already been learnt. He added: "It is details that make the difference. We lost five matches, that's more than Liverpool or Manchester City.

"We know even more today that City can make mistakes, but that from February and March onwards, they no longer make mistakes. We played against them three times, we put them in difficulty. They feel and we feel that we are close to them. Next year, we're going to fight an even better war."

Liverpool.com says: There is no doubt that Saliba is a top defender and he is going to get even better. He is right about being among the best in the Premier League but his admission over Van Dijk is interesting. The Reds skipper remains the benchmark for fellow defenders despite turning 33 this summer. Liverpool must soon make a decision on his future but it should be a no-brainer.