Who will be Arsenal's breakout star this season?

Saliba

By Oli Dickson Jefford
Arsenal couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Premier League season.
The Gunners are the only team to have won their opening three matches and not only have the results been encouraging, but the performances have been exceptional.
Several players have performed incredibly well and there is certainly a real sense of optimism around the club.
Last season, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe were the breakout performers that starred and won the hearts of fans at the Emirates.
With a promising campaign underway, who will be Arsenal’s breakout star this season.

William Saliba

Perhaps no one has won over the Arsenal faithful as much this season as William Saliba has in the opening three league games.
The French defender spent three seasons on loan and a breakthrough looked unlikely, but he has been given a chance and has absolutely excelled.
Saliba has produced a string of stunning displays and the Arsenal fans were singing his name throughout the Gunners’ 3-0 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
Not only has he performed well defensively, he produced an early goal of the season contender against the Cherries which has only endeared him further. 
There is still a long season ahead but Saliba will likely be a key part of any success the club has over the next nine months. 

Oleksandr Zinchenko

It feels slightly odd describing Oleksandr Zinchenko as a breakout star considering he won four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups and an FA Cup with Manchester City before heading to the Emirates this summer.
Yet, the Ukrainian has exceeded expectations in the early stages of this season by proving himself to be an integral part of the team.
Zinchenko is one of the most decorated players at the club and that has shown with the maturity and composure he has displayed, with his experience likely helping the younger players in the squad.
He registered his first Arsenal assist in the opening game of the season against Crystal Palace and delivered further impressive displays against Leicester and Bournemouth. 
The signing of Zinchenko was perhaps on paper not as glamorous as the arrival of his former City teammate Gabriel Jesus, but in many ways, it has been just as influential and you can expect the 25-year-old to have a strong campaign.
Zinchenko


Fabio Vieira

Vieira is a legendary name at Arsenal and the Gunners faithful will hope Portuguese midfielder Fabio can follow in Patrick’s footsteps and become a club legend.
The 22-year-old, who won two league titles with Porto, was one of Europe’s most sought after prospects this summer and Arsenal did well to seal his signature for £34m - a relative bargain in the current climate.
Unlike his fellow summer signings, Vieira is yet to make his debut for Arsenal but anyone who is described as a ‘special talent’ is definitely worth watching.
Arsenal’s strength is their attack and a player of Viera’s quality could thrive in this young, exciting team that Mikel Arteta is building.

Who will be Arsenal’s breakout star?

Though Zinchenko and Vieira will excite fans, it looks like Saliba will be the most prominent breakout star at the Emirates this season.
After multiple spells out on loan, the Frenchman has been so impressive on his return in the opening three games and the 21-year-old looks ready to cement his place in the starting XI for several seasons to come.
Defensively Arsenal have had vulnerabilities in recent years and Saliba could go a long way to addressing those issues.
Photo Credit: Getty Images

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