Arsenal ace William Saliba wants to be Gunners’ next Vieira or Henry

Arsenal favourite William Saliba has explained he wants to be the Gunners’ next Patrick Vieira or Thierry Henry. The centre-back has been included in France’s World Cup squad and will follow in the footsteps of the legendary Arsenal duo if he lifts the trophy, and he wants to be a legend at club and international level.’Yeah, of course I want to be the next Frenchmen to do that – like [Robert] Pires or Vieira or Henry,’ Saliba said as he discussed the prospect of getting his hands on the World Cup. ‘We will see. If I am going to the World Cup it shows I have had a good start to the season with Arsenal. I have to keep going like this.’I wanted to be in it, but you know in France we have a lot of good defenders so that is why I am so happy. If I am in the squad it’s because I had a good start to the season with Arsenal. I am so happy and grateful to be in this squad.’Saliba was told an hour before the squad was officially announced on Wednesday evening that he would be part of it. But the 21-year-old was unable to immediately celebrate his inclusion as he was about to take to the pitch for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup clash with Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.MUST READ: Man Utd team news hint dropped as Ten Hag prepares to make changes Arsenal favourite William Saliba has been included in France’s World Cup squad (Image: GETTY)’Some people told me just one hour before, but I waited for the coach [Didier Deschamps, to say I was in the squad],’ the defender added. ‘So when the coach told the media, I was so happy. It was just before the game. I was so happy.’When he spoke on the TV we were in the warm-up. So when I came back I watched it a little bit on my phone and I saw my name. I was so happy. It is amazing. I don’t think I can imagine what is the World Cup now, but I will imagine it later.’DON’T MISSErling Haaland ‘taking Spanish lessons’ as Real Madrid links persistMan Utd boss Ten Hag handed double injury blow for Aston Villa clash’Harry Kane needs to go to Bayern Munich’ jokes Alan Shearer Arsenal heroes Thierry Henry (left) and Patrick Vieira have legendary status in north London (Image: GETTY)Vieira won the World Cup with France in 1998, two years after he had joined the Gunners from AC Milan. The ex-midfielder won three Premier League titles with the Gunners and captained their Invincibles team when they went through the entire 2003/04 campaign without losing a single match.Henry, meanwhile, also starred for Les Bleus during their 1998 triumph, although he was still plying his trade for Monaco at the time. The goalscoring machine won two Premier League titles after moving to England in 1999 and also won four top-flight Golden Boots.